Indian international student Aseem Paul possessed over 10 years’ experience in the hospitality sector before deciding to upskill himself and study in Queenstown, New Zealand. Having a background handling front office operations, reservations, revenue management, strategic planning and night audit operations in the hotel industry, he also boasts a bachelor of Arts from Punjab University in Chandigarh, India, as well as a French Language Certificate.
Looking to enhance his career, Aseem originally heard about Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) from his cousin who had been working in New Zealand for a number of years.
“I chose SIT because of its reputation for high quality education, excellent support services for international students and a strong focus on graduate employability”.
Despite his background and having worked for the Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and Wyndham Hotel Group, Aseem was open to learning and found the Graduate Diploma in Hotel Management had a lot to teach that was valuable to his career aspirations.
“SIT has more than lived up to my expectations. Our programme manager is an amazing person who has made a positive difference in my life and I am still using the skills he taught me. SIT provided us with facilities and support which have been extremely helpful for our growth and career aspirations.”
A major skill Aseem picked up while studying at SIT is the importance of collaboration and team work.
“Studying at SIT made me a better judge of my own character and I realised the importance of working as a team. I enjoyed working out concrete issues on my own and then coming together with others to discuss our results. I also really enjoyed the assessments because I could see the results of my work and I loved getting involved in activities such as classroom presentations, surveys, and interviewing professionals to complete assignments was a memorable learning experience.”
Aseem managed to gain a job as Manager on Duty, working for the Accor Hotels Group after his programme manager suggested to his students that they apply.
“I act as Manager on Duty in the absence of the General Manager, dealing with complaints, special requests, problem solving and any other issues that may arise. I manage my shift in the department and ensure all staff members perform the tasks they have been assigned.”
Having gained exposure to the hospitality sector in New Zealand, personality development, self- confidence and another stepping stone in his career, Aseem appreciates that SIT was a place where he could communicate with all sorts of different individuals, which assisted with improving his communication skills.
“I am really passionate about the work I do and would love if there are opportunities down the line to be able to mentor other employees/new recruits to be successful in their hospitality careers.”