Travel Students Fly High with Takeover of Great Victoria Hotel

A group of lucky Bradford College students rose to the challenge of taking over a grand local hotel for a day.

Level 3 learners from Travel, Aviation, Hospitality & Events were mentored by industry professionals from Monday to Thursday, taking on board all there is to know about running a successful hotel.

As part of this, students took on various roles in the Bradford-based Great Victoria Hotel, from office work to the front desk. Once Friday arrived, they were then given a chance to oversee the running of the hotel, showcasing their skills learnt to both hotel and College staff.

Hotel General Manager, Daniel Kirkham, said: “It’s been a pleasure hosting the hotel takeover for the past week, which has seen ten students shadow ten of my key staff.

“The aim was for students to gain knowledge and practical experience within all key roles in a hotel setting, from management to sales to reception and so on. They’ve been involved in day-to-day workings such as check-ins, taking payments, dealing with queries, running events and many other things.

“All the students that participated have shown commitment, aptitude and professionalism. We’ve seen some real potential in the students and I’m sure many of them would go far in the hotel industry or whatever route they choose.

“My team and I would like to thank the students for all their hard work and we hope they found the experience useful.”

The Great Victoria Hotel itself sits in the middle of Bradford, offering visitors ‘old character in the form of 1800s grandeur’. The hotel proved to be the ideal location for students to gain vital real-life work experience to complement their academic learning.

Karen Lupton, a Placements Administrator based within Work Experience and Industry Placements at Bradford College, explained the project took six months of planning: “Work Experience is a vital part of any course, as it gives students practical experience along with a certificate to prove that they are capable of jobs in their desired industry.

“For the hotel takeover, students had to apply for positions, attend interviews and, of course, undertake their job role in the hours that they were required – whether it was an early breakfast service or late finishing shift.

“We hope this is the start of a great partnership with the Great Victoria Hotel. It gives our students a valuable resource for the future and enables them to receive the skills needed for their desired career.”

Find out more about the courses on offer by visiting the Bradford College website.