IHG Hosts An Experiential Learning Event For Students In UAE
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, recently hosted a learning event in collaboration with INJAZ Al-Arab, the MENA regional office of Junior Achievement Worldwide, providing high school students with a behind-the-scenes look at a career in hospitality. As part of its True Hospitality for Good programme, IHG is partnering with Junior Achievement Worldwide to support young talent entering the sector. The first part of this partnership is titled ‘IHG First Look’, a learning and job shadowing initiative which is being hosted by IHG in a number of different markets across the world.
The UAE event recently took place at Pierre’s Bistro, InterContinental® Dubai Festival City and was attended by over 30 students, aged 14-15, from Greenwood JSD Academy in Dubai. After being welcomed by Bastien Blanc, Vice President, Operations, MENA, IHG and Anna-Maria Dreesen-El Achcar, Vice President, HR, India Middle East and Africa & Global Luxury Talent, IHG, the students engaged in a series of interactive sessions, creative challenges and job shadowing to gain a better understanding of the hospitality sector and the career opportunities that the industry has to offer. They also got to interact with IHG personnel from different functions within the hotel and the corporate office, who shared their experiences of working in the hospitality industry.
Speaking at the event, Anna-Maria Dreesen-El Achcar, Vice President, HR, India Middle East and Africa & Global Luxury Talent, IHG said: “As part of our commitment to support Emiratisation and help young local talent in their career planning, we are proud to collaborate with INJAZ Al-Arab, the MENA regional office of Junior Achievement Worldwide, who are dedicated to giving Arab youth the knowledge and skills they need to plan their professional future. The ‘IHG First Look’ event that we hosted recently showcased the vast opportunities that exist in this sector to the next generation of hoteliers, thus, equipping and encouraging the students to make informed decisions about their future career paths. Through first-hand experiences, we also reshaped perceptions the students had about a career in hospitality.”
She continued, “At IHG, our employees are at the heart of everything we do and, as a result, we invest in attracting and nurturing the best talent by proving high-quality training. The UAE’s hospitality sector is booming and we want to accelerate Emiratisation by making a career in this sector more appealing and attractive to the youth. We were encouraged by the talent, motivation and passion of the students today and hope to see some of them return as employees in the future.”
True Hospitality for Good is IHG’s flagship programme for communities and charitable giving, which drives positive change in the thousands of communities its corporate and hotel colleagues call home.
