Prof. Wilson Lukose is the Principal of Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Hotel and Tourism Management Studies, which was established in the year 1992 by honorable Dr. Patangrao Kadam to foster world-class education in hospitality skills to students, helping them to run that extra mile. The institute firmly believes that excellence is an ongoing, continuous process especially in today’s fast-moving competitive environment and wants to be the best imparting and ensuring innovative, creative quality in Hospitality education. The college has completed 28 glorious years and extending beyond to bring about “Social transformation through dynamic education.”
Many colleges have mushroomed which have very less or rather no regulations or guidelines. In the absence of guidelines, the colleges have been using their own yardsticks for teaching students in cramped classrooms with or without any proper facilities or faculties. It is now a need of the hour that the Industry is provided by the guidelines and support it needs. When we have specific guidelines for Classification of Hotels and now by FSSAI act to the food suppliers or producers, we also need a bridging guideline to the Hospitality Education which supplies the desired manpower to the booming Food and Hospitality Industry.
In the last few decades, the number of students passing out after completing a degree of hotel management has increased, fueling the growth of many more sectors, specifically Retail, Malls, and many more. Today, there is no dearth of jobs after completing this program. While Industry has had faith on few Institutes who have been positively seen transfer of knowledge and skills like Taj College of HM, Oberoi School of Development, and some National Council colleges and presently few private colleges affiliated to University of Mumbai and deemed colleges, which have been the birthplaces of many Entrepreneurs and leaders in Hospitality.
Monitoring and providing guidelines to the Industrial Training period has now become more of cheap labor, providing a solution to the Industry rather than using this as a future staff selection process. The industry needs to regulate the working hours as per the Labor Law guidelines. While this is just the beginning, the start is necessary to give the tiger its teeth.
The students who are looking forward to pursuing postgraduate programs in hospitality, in sales and marketing, human resources or specialization in bakery and confectionery or beverages, should analyze every prospect before enrolling in a known university. For students stepping into hospitality, venture out if you are passionate and willing to serve with a smile. Have a hungry appetite to grow and learn with good communication skills and presence of mind.