PLACEMENT STUDENT CASE STUDY
Jenna joined The Grand family in 2021 as part of her Events Management university degree. Undertaking a year in industry after her second year in university, Jenna has been hands-on with the planning and running of events at The Grand.
Why did you choose to complete your placement at The Grand?
The Grand stood out from other hotels due to it’s variety of other outlets and facilities. It is a well-known hub for events with conference rooms that are in constant use for business meetings and smaller scale events, as well as facilities for weddings and larger conferences. They also have an on-site cookery school that is extremely well equipped for parties ranging from team building days to parent and child classes and everything in between. These things attracted me to The Grand as I wanted to complete my placement in an environment where I could get involved with a wide range of events to further my understanding and experience of the industry. As a five-star establishment, I was excited to understand, and follow the highest levels of service and guidelines.
How do you feel your placement has enhanced your degree?
My time at the hotel has been invaluable and I have been presented with many opportunities such as AA standards training, and multiple masterclasses from members of the leadership team to provide us with a wider understanding of their role within the business. This has been extremely beneficial from a commercial perspective too, and how the sales and marketing team drive events.
My placement year has been a mixed experience of being a student and entering a professional work environment. It has allowed me to use all the skills that I had learnt during my first- and second year studying Events Management at university. This experience has given me an insight into what life is like working full time and taught me how to balance my work life in a healthy and productive way.
I have developed a variety of skills in both hospitality and events which has widened my understanding of the industry as a whole. My time on my placement will help me with my further studies as I now have a practical understanding of what goes into a successful event, and what goes into running a hotel.
How would you describe your time at The Grand?
I had the opportunity to work both operationally and administratively which I enjoyed and found value in both. I gained an understanding of how each work separately but also in conjunction.
I was given consistent support from the departments I worked in. The Grand Team are all very helpful and it is a dedicated and enjoyable place to work.
