Practical training in tourism: This is how students master the job start!

Practical training in tourism: This is how students master the job start!

The importance of practical training in the tourism sector is becoming increasingly clear. Professor Dr. Dao Manh Hung, chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Training Association and director of the Imperial International Hotel Management School (IIHC), highlights that practical training is crucial to improving human resources in tourism. The “Hotel School” model used at IIHC ensures that students spend 30% of their time on theory and 70% on practical experience in a hotel setting, under the guidance of experienced professionals. Classes are taught entirely in English and are subject to strict admission requirements and quality controls. Graduates can look forward to an internationally recognized qualification from the NCFE organization (UK), which will make it easier for them to enter the global job market.

Professor Hung expresses a desire to replicate this model to give more students access to world-class education. Another innovative approach is being implemented by the Hanoi Tourism Company, which plans to open a tourism training center at a university from the 2024-2025 school year. This “company in school” model allows students to work with real company data and complete valuable internships. The aim is to make it easier for them to integrate into the labor market, as they will receive a work certificate at the end of the training process.

Practical experience promotes entry into the job market

Hanoi College of Tourism adopts a competency-based approach (CBT) that provides training through real-life situations and internships. The school already has collaborations with more than 100 companies, including 4 to 5 star hotels and international tour operators. Over 90% of graduates find a job within three months, while 30% are hired directly at their internship location. These initiatives demonstrate the commitment to practical training models, even if they only partially cover the market need for human resources.

Experts also call for close cooperation between training and job placement units. Dr. Hoang Ngoc Tue from Hanoi University of Industry points to the need to integrate modern technologies such as information technology and artificial intelligence into virtual training models. These technologies could, among other things, help to further optimize practical training and adapt curricula to the requirements of the labor market.

Challenges for students in tourism

Pan Pacific Hanoi Hotel's human resources manager, Vu Thi Mai, warns that many students have weaknesses in the areas of analysis, presentation and argumentation, while there is a lack of practical experience during their studies. A stronger link between practical training and the theoretical knowledge imparted at universities could optimize training overall.

In the broader context, training in tourism includes not only the theoretical aspects, but also a strong organizational component. Professions such as tourism and leisure clerk or hotel manager require knowledge in planning and executing trips as well as ensuring guest satisfaction. The dual training in the tourism sector offers a combination of practical work and theoretical insights into business administration, human resources management and corporate management. This qualifies graduates for management positions within hotels, restaurants and travel agencies.