Griffith Business School students have had the opportunity to learn from one of the biggest players on the south east’s tourism scene.
The Star Gold Coast hosted seven students for a 75-hour internship, taking them from front office through to concierge and housekeeping.
“This gives our students real-life experience in a very high profile organisation. It’s not only related to the student’s degrees, but also to their potential career path,” said Dr Caroline Riot,First Year Coordinator at Griffith Business School.
“It gives them an edge because they’re being exposed to the ins and outs of everyday work life, within a supervised context.
“They’re being challenged by industry leaders who have a wealth of experience to share. They’re guided through in a very safe and structured way to gain the skills they need to get a start in this business.”
Neseema Mustapha, a Tourism and Hospitality student, said this was a fantastic opportunity.
“Although I have a lot of experience in tourism itself, working as a travel consultant, I haven’t had any hotel or hospitality experience.
“It’s internationally recognized…and going to be fantastic for my resume. I’m hoping I’ll be able to secure a job after this.”
The value of this relationship is recognised by Bronwyn Hellie, Operations Manager Hotel at Star Entertainment.
“We’re definitely looking for future leaders in our business.
“We want to be heavily involved so we can bring them through and teach them what we know as well.
“It would have been a great opportunity when I was learning – to be able to step into a hotel and get that experience.”
Dr Caroline Riot added that the partnership between Griffith Business School and Star Entertainment was a significant one.
“We’re strongly drawn to key players in the industry that can make a difference not only to students and staff, but allow us to make a difference as well.
Dr Caroline Riot
“We’re leaders in the hotel and tourism management sectors. This provides us with the reputation and legitimacy to work with a significant leader in the industry.
“Hopefully long term we’ll see some great outcomes for students and the company.”
