The Hospitality Professionals Association hosted its annual Professional Development graduation ceremony at the Savoy Hotel in London — which saw more than 100 people come together to celebrate the achievements of the industry’s latest graduates.
The Professional Development arm of HOSPA focuses on three core areas of study including asset management, revenue management and finance management. Over the course of a year-long educational programme, students have been guided along a framework that sets them up to become industry leaders of the future.
And, with two separate cohorts of students joining the programme annually in March and September, the latest cohorts have come together for a group graduation ceremony, where they were invited to a champagne afternoon tea designed to allow UK and overseas learners to celebrate jointly.
As part of the ceremony, there was a presentation to learners who achieved the highest grades, as well as announcing the ‘Learner of the Year’ Award for all three programmes.
The ‘Learner of the Year’ accolade is given to those graduates who have demonstrated, not just a high standard of commitment, but also shown real promise for a successful future career in the industry.
The winners for each area of study were:
Revenue Management Learner of the Year Award (Sponsored by Edwards & Finn) – Lee Graham
Financial Management Learner of the Year Award (Sponsored by FM Recruitment) – Natalia Rabello
Asset Management Learner of the Year Award – Doris Woehnl
Furthermore, Valor Hospitality was named Employer of the Year, with the award recognising its outstanding commitment to promoting and developing education in the hospitality industry.
Natalia Rabello, Financial Management Learner of the Year, who also received further recognition in the form of a Foundation and Professional certificate in Financial Management, as well as being recognised as a top learner, said: “I’m thrilled to have been named as Learner of the Year, and, with three awards today, it’s wonderful to receive such recognition. I’d thoroughly recommend a HOSPA Professional Development course to anyone looking to enhance their abilities in the hospitality industry. It’s provided me with some great insight, and it’s been really nice to get the chance to celebrate our graduation today. I’d also like to thank my employer, Leonardo Hotels, for being so supportive and understanding during my studies.”
Sarah Simnett, another HOSPA learner who graduated with distinction in Vacation Rental Revenue Management, said of her experience of the programme: “It’s a robust yet welcoming course which has made me feel confident in both the principles, which underline my everyday work, and the practical application of it.”
Commenting on the success of the event, CEO of HOSPA, Jane Pendlebury, said: “The learner awards are always a highlight in our events calendar. It’s fantastic to give recognition to people who are working so hard to progress in the industry and who are setting such a wonderful example for others. We’ve had another excellent couple of cohorts this year and it fills me with hope for the future of the industry that we still continue to attract such exceptional talent.”
HOSPA is the hospitality industry’s leading authority on financial management, revenue management and asset management. It offers a wide and growing range of opportunities for members, from networking meetings and webinars which address specific topics to extensive professional development programmes and the latest industry data disseminated through a variety of mediums.
For more information on HOSPA’s Professional Development offering, please visit: https://www.hospa.org/professionaldevelopment
Image: Andrew Broughton