An applicant must be committed and enthusiastic to be successful in the hospitality sector, says Prof Alcasoas

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Nelissa Andrea Alcasoas Asst. Professor General Management at VMSIIHE talks at length about the institute’s practical approach toward helping students become industry-ready. She goes into detail discussing various examples, six-month internship, the importance of punctuality in students’ life and many more.

Professor Alcasoas has a Masters in Commerce with a specialization in Business Administration and has cleared SET. She has vast experience having taught at colleges like Ness Wadia College of Commerce, Pune, Don Bosco College, Panjim, Rosary College of Commerce and Arts, Navelim and Damodar College of Commerce and Economics, Margao. 

Read the complete interview below:

Q: What are the salient features of the teaching methodology adopted by your college? How does this differ from others?

A: The methodologies are more practical in nature. Topics are covered using experiential learning, case studies, role plays, debates and presentations. A few examples are for the subjects Food Production and Food and Beverage Service, theme and cultural nights are organised. Event management has students organising a mega event. For Marketing, students put up a stall where they market products to staff and students. For Management Process 2, students undertake a CSR programme for the Institute. Through these methods, students practically apply knowledge they have learnt in class. They also hone their leadership capabilities and team spirit.

Q: How are you preparing your students to be Industry ready?

A: Apart from practical and theory classes, the students go on a six-month internship in India and abroad. They also attend ODCs at five star hotels that give students exposure to the industry. The college functions like a hotel; so students punch in and out on entry and exit at the campus, they are expected to call and inform if they do not attend classes, grooming has to be impeccable and punctuality is very important. 

Q: What are the qualities you are looking for in student applicants? What qualities do they need to do well in your course?

A: To be successful in the hospitality industry, an applicant is expected to be committed and enthusiastic. He/She should possess good communication skills, leadership abilities and be a good team player. Discipline should be a way of life for the applicant. These are some of the qualities that employers look for and customers expect. 

Q: How do you ensure that your course curriculum is up to date and meets industry requirements?

A: The frequent guest lectures with eminent industry resource persons help to bridge the gap. There are many webinars and workshops on various topics that are conducted so students can better their skill set and knowledge. For the subject Interview facing skills, mock interviews are held with training managers from the industry and feedback is given on what is expected from students. Alumni connect sessions also help to update students on industry requirements. There are study tours and field trips to both national and international locations that allows students to learn about different cultures.

Q: Is your college receptive to innovation, technology, science & entrepreneurship? How? Could you cite some examples of these?

A: The college is receptive to the entrepreneurship needs of the students; we have recently conducted an add-on course in Entrepreneurship (30 hours) for the T.Y. students. Food science is a subject in the curriculum. The students study about the chemical and physical properties of food and changes that occur during cooking, storage, processing etc. The hybrid method of teaching-learning was adopted during the pandemic with online classes, webinars, video demos being adopted.