Exclusive Interview | Dr. Sonali Jadhav, Principal, AISSMS College of HMCT, Pune
/“We in our Institute are also trying to build a work culture for our students, where we invite the industry for weekend jobs for our students. This initiative called “Weekend Skilling” was well received this year and 70 of our students were selected.”
Tell us about your journey. How did it all start?
I completed my Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology from FCI, Pune and immediately got married without any thought of a career. It did bother me that I was not a degree holder whereas the rest of my family was highly educated. Nevertheless almost immediately I started a College Cafe targeting the local colleges for business. I wanted it to be trendy and serve dishes that were different or not common in Pune. Started serving only 2 dishes - Salami Sandwiches and Mutton frankies, with soft drinks or coffee. Within a short time our clientele grew exponentially and we were able to hire professionals to run a cafeteria which had 2000 + followers on social media platform Orkut.
I then decided to complete my Arts with a French Major. We had only 3 hospitality schools in Pune at the time and I started getting offers to teach French in these schools. I settled for AISSMS College of Hotel Management & Catering Technology and never looked back.
What do you think it takes to succeed in this industry?
While Hospitality is not Rocket Science, it is also not easy to excel in this field. One needs a lot of grit, patience and the right attitude. We find that the students think it is below their dignity to wait on tables or do the Housekeeping. To a large extent I think it is our society that is judgemental about these jobs. So the responsibility rests with us as educators and the Industry to hand hold the kids and mentor them. Apart from the above 3 attributes, good grooming, etiquettes and finally not just working hard but also working smartly will take the students a long way.
What according to you can trainees do while they are training at hotels to make it a win-win for them & the hotel/unit?
We have a huge batch of students who intern for 4-6 months domestically or go overseas. I see a huge difference in their perception of what is in store for them after they complete their internship locally versus going abroad. The world is literally their oyster and most countries like the US and France entrust these kids with a lot of responsibility like asking them to man the front desk which is unthinkable in India. Unfortunately here students are looked upon by a lot of hotels as cheap labour. This puts off the students and they change their track. But I see that things are slowly changing and the Hotels have started investing in training these students.But we still have a long way to go.
This generation needs hand holding and mentoring and we are having conversations with the Indian Industry regarding the students expectations and how to bridge the cap.
What are some of the trends you see impacting the hospitality industry?
The hotels that are coming up now are targeted at specific clientele and are customised accordingly, be it a B & B, Business hotel, a Boutique hotel or a luxury property. They are marketed and positioned accordingly. The range of these categories is growing by the day. People now explore options for staycations, since working from home is a popular concept allowing employees to work from any part of the world. The disposal income in India is also growing bigger and Tourism has bounced back with vengeance after the pandemic.
Two things you would like to change in the industry.
For the Indian Industry, the pay packages need to be worked upon, especially for the lower rung. Building a balanced work cultrure will also go a long way in curbing attrition and make the Industry an attractive prospect for the budding professionals. We have a lot of skilled but uneducated staff who are the backbone of the hotel. The New Educational Policy 2020 will hopefully create opportunities for them to get certified and recognised so that they can advance in their careers.
What do you expect the industry to do to support academics?
The Human Resource demand far exceeds the supply as far as the hospitality industry is concerned. And so the change needs to come from the Industry. Collaboration for syllabus revision, guest lecture series, faculty skills upgradation is a good place to start. While this has been on paper for a long time, it is time to actually implement it. We in our Institute are also trying to build a work culture for our students, where we invite the industry for weekend jobs for our students. This initiative called "Weekend Skilling" was well received this year and 70 of our students were selected. More than 50% of them are still working over the weekend and we see a tremendous change in their personality. They are more confident, make informed decisions and have started enjoying the work culture.
The Industry has also started recognising good work which keeps the students motivated and enthusiastic about the future. Hopefully the Industry will realise that if they dont take care of the budding professionals they will lose the work force to other countries.
How will the NEP impact Hotel Management Education in India?
We have implemented NEP this year. This means that the courses are multi disciplinary and inclusive. We are moving from rote learning to application based learning. The students seem to enjoy the challenge of applying their knowledge for real life operations. This couldn't have come any sooner and I am happy to see that the students are more invested in their education now. This definitely is a positive change and will only get better with time. Multiple Exit and Entry options have opened doors for students to come back to the classroom as per their interests and inclination.
Entrepreneurship is also given due importance and I think that will bring about a good change too.
In a world where AI now is real and getting better every day. What skills would be more relevant for HM students?
As of now feedbacks & grievances are already AI driven. As we progress we will see more and more processes based on AI in areas like reservations and bookings, service etc. However we are essentially a Service Industry and the warmth of a personal touch can never be replaced. Students are tech savvy and will learn to use technology as it advances. However the core attributes will not change and in that sense they will still need to master the skill sets that are relevant today.
