More than just a hotel: a nursery of talents!
Between courses planning – in high school for some, in superior school for others – together with on the job hours, there are about thirty of them each year to be welcomed in the hotel. Coming from different curriculums and for varying lengths of time, they kindly agreed to share their post-internship impressions with us. Overview of their respective backgrounds.
A well-established road ma
The period of compulsory training, the myth of the unlucky recruit, relegated to subordinate duties and photocopying… But think again! At the Hôtel du Centre, reality is much more rewarding than clichés.
For this establishment of values, the follow up of young people at the time of their professional learning is an important step, with managers regularly briefed on good practices for a successful integration of their apprentices.
Due to the high level of demand from the hotel, the selection of the candidates is done systematically after an individual interview and it will then be necessary to retain the most determined.
"We have a social role to play in making trainees fully aware of the world of work and its demands, the seriousness and motivation involved."
Discovering a trade
Some are short stay, like Gaspard, in year 10, came to carry out a course of discovery of a week at the Les Jardins restaurant. Others remained for a period of 3 to 5 weeks: this was the case for Rose and Henry, both in high school.
As part of her Youth Training (NVQ - National Vocational Qualification - Level 1, 2) in Hospitality-Catering, Rose followed the team of chambermaids. She wanted to learn more about this trade to make it an asset in her training.
In year 11 of professional Management-Administration, Henry strengthened the team of the commercial and accommodation department. With the aim of experiencing life in a company, it was on the advice of former glowing interns that he turned to the hotel establishment.
In professional immersion
Sifina and Louise-Mary, BTEC Higher National Diploma in Support for Management Action students, met with the Hôtel du Centre to prepare for executive assistance positions.
Attracted by the values that the Noumea hotel communicates through its means of communication, Louise-Mary wanted to become familiar with the role that an assistant manager can have in an actual work environment.
Sifina, who had been recommended the hotel structure by a close friend, is happy to have completed her internship rich in many achievements, such as the implementation of theoretical teachings, the development of relational and professional skills or the apprehension of practical difficulties in business…
Now a holder of a BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business Unit Management, Delphine had in mind the Hôtel du Centre at the time, for two reasons: to stand out from her comrades, most of whom were trainees in mass merchandising, in addition to competing against the challenge of a business hotel and its double clientele, both tourist and professional.
A challenge met with pride by the former intern, who greatly appreciated her hotel experience, as much for the confidence shown by her supervisors as for the excellent internship grades she obtained.
Samantha and Manon, graduates of a BTEC Higher National Diploma in Management of Small and Medium Size Businesses, are thanking the Hôtel du Centre for the welcome they received during their final internship, intended for management assistance assignments.
Receptive to the human values put forward by the Ducos hotel, Manon had also chosen it for its desire to stand out from the competition, with the aim of carrying out a project on the theme of business sustainability.
As far as she is concerned, Samantha, intrigued by the peculiarity of business part of the establishment, was eager to know more about the other side of the scenes. She was delighted with the kindness shown by the teams to her, and was involved in the implementation of a job risk assessment.
The look of the professors
Karine Morlet is a BTEC professor at the Saint Joseph de Cluny vocational high school (Noumea). From his point of view, the involvement of professionals within an educational institution promotes a close link with the world of business, which represents the future of New-Caledonian youth.
This is why she is grateful to the privileged partner that is the Hôtel du Centre, which plays a major role and without which the personal and professional development of the trainees would not be the same. The hotel brand is also involved through its presence at job meetings: these are real-life situations for students to take them to recruitment interviews.
According to Xavier Elipe, professor of economics and management at the Lapérouse general and technological high school (Noumea), the partnership and commitment of the Hôtel du Centre in the path of the students allows to complete their theoretical training and to integrate them better in the professional environment.
He also believes that the participation of the hotel manager in the jury of the oral tests of advanced technician's certificate is precious for the quality of the evaluation. Thus, the external look and the expertise of a professional are indeed decisive in the assessment of the skills and maturity acquired by the candidates for the exam.
