If you’re creative, love people, and want a flexible career instead of a cubicled rigid 9-to-5, then you need to hear from Sonali Prakashbabu.
Not only did she study hospitality in two countries — Singapore and the UK — she has completed several internships in this field.
What she’s discovered is that to study and work hospitalitty is to go beyond just hotels and restaurants.
It’s been a ride for Prakashbabu and she has all the insider info to share.
Three things every hospitality student should know
Choosing to study hospitality was one of the best decisions Sonali Prakashbabu had ever made. Source: Sonali Prakashbabu
“Sometimes you need to be fake”
Ever watched “The White Lotus”? Difficult people are everywhere, but especially when they’re on holidya.
It’s hard to stay smiling when people are getting on your nerves. Prakashbabu says it’s part of the job.
“Sometimes you need to be fake and mask your true feelings,” says Prakashbabu. “You have to be able to control your emotions, and if you cannot do that, you need to learn how.”
$$$: Hospitality does pay well
Before she joined the field, even Prakashbabu thought that jobs in hospitality wouldn’t pay generously.
After graduating and completing several internships and part-time jobs, she’s seen that there’s money to be made.
“It always depends on what you want to do and the department you want to go into,” she says. “You could start out as a receptionist, and work your way up management – becoming a general manager or an event manager pays pretty well!”
Concepts will stay with you
In her first year of her hospitality degree, Prakashbabu learned about the SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats). Even as she progressed throughout her degree, it was one of many important points that repeatedly popped up.
“For an industry like this, it’s important that we keep learning about the same concept and apply it to different scenarios throughout our work,” says Prakashbabu. “You’re definitely not going to learn as many terms or theories as a doctor, for example, but it’s totally fine!”
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The best countries to study hospitality may not be what you think
Now that you know more about the field, you may be thinking of where to go.
Like many others who want to study hospitality and event management, Prakashbabu’s first thought was a European country. After all, that’s the gold standard.
However, unless you score a scholarship, studying abroad in Switzerland can be expensive. A bachelor’s programme can cost up to 177,050 Swiss Francs (US$216,300), and that doesn’t take into account the costs of rent, food, and everything else.
“Everyone thought of Switzerland and France – honestly, France was my first option, but it was very expensive,” says Prakashbabu.
“To me, it just wasn’t wise to spend so much for just one year in Switzerland or France, when I could be spending the same amount of money and going to different places.”
Shortly after, she came across the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS).
The institute offered a suitable hospitality programme that would allow her to study in Singapore for two years, and then go to the UK to complete her final year at Manchester Metropolitan University.
“I was pretty excited about it, because in the two years I’ll be studying in Singapore, six months are devoted to an internship,” shares Prakashbabu.
“I’d get to complete my theoretical studies and gain some experience before I go off to the UK. It’s also a bit more budget-friendly!”
Another important tip Prakashbabu has for when you study hospitality is to network as much as you can. Source: Sonali Prakashbabu
Studying in Singapore VS the UK
We asked if studying the same field in two countries had any differences. The answer? A lot.
For one, Singapore had familiar food – spices, flavour, and almost everything Prakashbabu missed from home.
The UK? Not so much.
When it came to the people, there was a difference, too.
“In Singapore, it felt like people weren’t exactly sociable here. They’re not people pleasers, but they’re genuine in what they say or do,” shares Prakashbabu. “The work culture is also more serious, and people tend to work longer hours.”
When she started her final year in Manchester, she was surprised to find that locals were extremely nice. Too nice, rather.
“I had to remind myself that when someone called me ‘love’ I wasn’t actually their love,” laughs Prakashbabu. “It’s nice to be in an environment where everyone uses nice words, but you need to be aware that they probably don’t care about you on the inside.”
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