“
I t’s incredible that I’ve been able to
experience a completely different lifestyle
and culture through my degree. ”
Established by QMU and The Lord Forte Foundation,
these special scholarships are monetary awards of £2,500,
offered annually to six third and fourth year BA (Hons) Events
Management and BA (Hons) International Hospitality and
Tourism Management students. When applying, students
must demonstrate that they intend to work within the hospitality
industry following graduation and that the scholarship would
make a significant impact on their personal development and
academic progression.
Despite all of the commitments and hard graft required during
his final year of study, Michael would discover that his experiences
in China were to work to his advantage.
W
HEN MICHAEL TRUFFELLI was weighing up his
higher education options having not achieved
the kind of results he’d hoped for, he couldn’t
have imagined that in just a few years he’d be learning
Mandarin and serving as the Asian Ambassador for one
of Scotland’s most prestigious hotels.
Michael – a fourth year BA (Hons) International Hospitality and
Tourism Management student at QMU – is open about the fact
that this area of study was not what he’d originally planned on
pursuing.
“I came to QMU in 2016 through UCAS clearing,” he explained.
“I had initially wanted to study International Business at another
university but uncertainty in my final year of school meant that I
didn’t achieve what I needed to do that.
“However, QMU and the International Hospitality and Tourism
Management (IHTM) course turned out to be a blessing in
disguise. What started off as an interest in the industrial placement
offered and the chance to learn more about the hospitality and
tourism industries, ended up evolving to what I now believe will
give me exceptional prospects upon graduation.”
The industrial placement, in Michael’s case, took him to Beijing,
China, and opened up a whole new world of opportunity.
“I have to admit, I didn’t enjoy my first week in China. I didn’t
understand anyone, and they didn’t understand me. Then I
thought to myself, ‘Get a grip! This is an opportunity of a lifetime
- learn the language’.”
Immersing himself in the culture, and taking every opportunity
to practice what few phrases he had picked up, Michael returned
to Scotland with a new passion for the language. On top of a
busy year of study and work, Michael now takes two Mandarin
classes each week, made possible by the financial support of
the Lord Forte Foundation Scholarship.
“While working as a receptionist at the Radisson Blu, I was
presented with the exciting opportunity to step into the new role
of Asian Ambassador with The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel.”
With such a desirable skill set, Michael was handpicked
for this special role by the Balmoral after they learned of his
skills in Mandarin through his scholarship application. Michael
jumped at the opportunity to begin working in the capacity of
the hotel’s Asian market, drawing on his skills from the QMU
course, experience of working in the hospitality industry, and
insights gained from his placement in Beijing. Michael now juggles
working for the final year of his degree with two shifts a week in
The Balmoral front office and one shift within its marketing team.
He explained: “Overall, I’m trying to enhance the experience of
our Asian market. Within marketing, I’m working towards Chinese
New Year, trying to breakdown the social media influencers
to differentiate what mediums they use, how messages are
translated, the kind of posts they make and networking channels
they use, etc.”
And looking to the future, Michael is confident his studies and
newly-acquired language skills [he hopes to be fluent by 2020!]
will stand him in good stead in this competitive industry.
“In China, I noticed there was a lack of westerners who could
speak Chinese, in particular those who held management
positions,” he said. “At meetings, much of what was being
discussed had to be translated both ways, which is a huge drain
on time and resources. Having someone who could speak both
English and Chinese would be a big advantage and selling point.”
Reflecting on his time at QMU – which isn’t over just yet! –
Michael is incredibly grateful for the opportunities the University
and the Lord Forte Scholarship have provided him. “It is incredible
that I have been able to travel and experience a completely
different lifestyle and culture through my University degree.
“I will always be grateful for this opportunity which I am sure
will help shape my future career in the global hospitality and
tourism industry.” ❒
QMYOU / Supporting Student Development
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