With the threat of COVID-19 pandemic significantly subsiding, the hospitality industry has limped back to life. Now the domestic and foreign tourists are flocking to the various places, giving impetus to the tourism business.Nepal, a country in South Asia, is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. The hospitality industry is reviving and expanding so it needs more qualified employees. The colleges offer courses on hospitality business at +2 level and bachelor level. In my previous blog, I mentioned qualifications, course duration, and scope. In this blog, I highlight the hotel management internship program in details.

Under an internship program, a student works in an organization, mostly unpaid to gather experiences for job or meet qualification criteria to apply for job in the future. Hotel Management undergraduate course is of 4 years – theory and practical classes for and one year of internship program (7th and 8th semester). A student is stationed in hotel while doing internship.

Some of the best hotels in Nepal where students can apply for their internship programs are Hyatt Regency Kathmandu, Hotel Yak & Yeti, Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, The Everest Hotel Kathmandu, Kathmandu Marriott Hotel, and Aloft Kathmandu Thamel, and Hyatt Place Kathmandu.

Best Options for Hotel Management Internship in Nepal

We can choose the department that we want to do intern. However, we must choose at least 2 departments for the program. Mr. Adhikari program director at MVIC who has supervised students applying for internships says “ I would recommend the student to choose one from the operational department (housekeeping department, food and beverage service department, food production (kitchen) department, and front office department)) and one form functional department (Marketing department, HR department, Accounting & finance department, Purchase department), this allows students to learn in-depth about hotel functions from both department’s perspective”.

Internships can be in both in Nepal or abroad, however in foreign soil we cannot do internship in certain departments such as HR. So if we are interested in HR field then we have to do internship in Nepal. Our choices/options are:

1. Front Office Department:

Front Office interns are responsible (learn) to greet and welcome as guests arrive at the hotel. Customer service includes giving guidance or making guests feel at ease. Reservations for rooms may be made by phone or email, and any queries about the rooms or the hotel can be answered. Learning basic of front office operation and how to coordinate with other department for maximum guest satisfaction.

2. Housekeeping Department:

Housekeeping interns learn to keep common spaces clean by sweeping, sorting, washing, and learning how to inspect rooms. We also ensure that rooms satisfy hotel standards, such as cleanliness and the availability of materials in the room and on the chambermaid’s trolley (housekeeping cart). Likewise, we also learn how to assist manage the cleaning service schedule based on occupancy rate. We also learn how to work with other departments to ensure that our guests are satisfied.

3. Food and Beverage Service Department:

A food and beverage intern learn responsibilities that include collaborating with other staff members to prepare things for service and ensuring that service satisfies business standards. We may also give customers with food and beverage alternatives and assist them in making educated decisions. We also learn how to collaborate with other departments, particularly the kitchen, to ensure optimum visitor satisfaction.

4. Kitchen or Food Production Department:

In the Kitchen or Food Production Department, you will design recipes, assist other chefs on projects, and learn the ins and outs of working in a real kitchen. We also learn how to collaborate with other departments, particularly service, to ensure optimum visitor happiness.

5. Accounts and Credits Department:

An Accounting Intern is in charge of putting their accounting knowledge and abilities to the test in a professional context. We’ll be aiding an accountant with research and client relations while working under them. Our responsibilities include assisting accounting teams with various accounting projects and tasks as they acquire confidence in their chosen business. We also learn how to work with other departments to ensure that our guests are satisfied.

6. Human Resources (HR) Department:

The duty of a human resources intern always begins with basic HR activities such as updating employee absence records, starting background checks, filing HR papers, studying HR regulations, and assisting recruiters in producing a job alert. We also learn how to cooperate with other departments for optimum guest satisfaction, which is critical because the HR department is in charge of hiring and training workers in all departments.

7. Sales and Marketing Department:

Interns in sales and marketing assist the sales and marketing team in managing marketing efforts. We assist in the development, expansion, and management of the company’s sales and marketing channels. e also do market research to keep track of major rivals, prospective clients, and industry trends. We also learn how to collaborate with other departments for strong sales strategy, sales offers, and organization marketing.

---

Some queries about hotel internships have been answered below:

1) What is the process for an internship in Hotel Management in Nepal?

A student vying for the internship has to complete three-year-long undergraduate course in the hotel management. Then s/he can then choose preferred hotel where they want to complete last one year of College.

The required documents include a 6th semester transcript, NOC, passport size photo, and identity document. Applying abroad requires an additional: medical report, passport, NOC from authorities, etc.

After submitting appropriate documentation to a hotel, the selection procedure begins. It calls a candidate for interview after going through their documents. S/he is qualified for the internship only passing the oral examination.

2) How can I stand out from other candidates in selection?

Firstly, the selection committee evaluates the certificates i.e., transcripts, certificates of event participation/achievements during college and work experience. These documents not only help in winning the internship but also in getting job and promotion later in one’s career. The committee prefers those with more certificates of achievement.

Secondly, candidates must present their abilities in the interview, where they will be judged on their appearance, attitude, communication skills, and confidence. The hospitality industry comes second in grooming after the army/police. If they fail to be properly groomed, they are likely to be thrown out of the hospitality business.

Candidates who have medical issues are not favored by the hotel even if they have good certificates and are practically qualified.

Internship Programs we offer:

• Internship & Job Placement in Japan
• Other internship programs

3) What are internship programs that Mid-Valley provides?

Mid-Valley International College provides its students internship opportunities inside and outside the country.

MVIC has signed a MOU with Japan’s Fourth Valley Concierge Corporation, Connect Job, and LeadX Nepal to provide free Japanese language classes, internships, and job placement in Japan for BBM. Mensyoku Co. Ltd. provides a graduate from MVIC with a 6-month paid internship in Japan with a job offer of up to Rs. 200,000 a month.

The internship applications of MVIC students are accepted by the top-notch hotels in the Middle East (Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar) as well as Malaysia, the Maldives, India, Thailand, China, and Japan.

The interns stand to get job in those foreign hotels if they make extraordinary performance during their one-year internship.

4) How can I choose hotel departments for internship?

One can choose the department of his/her choice for the internship. Students must, however, select at least 2 departments for the program.

Mr. Jeevan Adhikari, Program Director at MVIC, who supervises students applying for internships, says “I would like to suggest that students choose one from the operational department (housekeeping department, food and beverage service department, food production (kitchen) department, and front office department)) and one form functional department (marketing department, HR department, accounting & finance department, purchase department). This allows students to have a thorough understanding of hotel operations from both departments’ perspectives.”

5) What is the minimum duration of internship in hotel management?

The minimum duration of internship in Nepal and abroad is one year. However, students can break it into 6/6 months.

6) Can I get job in hotel without internship if I have better academic scores?

It is not possible to get a job in a hotel without an internship even though one has good grades on his/her mark sheets. A hotel only hires those candidates who have completed their prescribed academic course and done an internship program.

7) Do I need to pay for the internship program?

Internship program is of one-year duration in which students work in hotels as interns. An intern is a student or trainee who works to get job experience or fulfill qualification requirements.

Students do not have to pay for internship programs inside the country. However, they have to pay for internship programs abroad. To do one-year internship abroad, students have to choose a hotel and pay for a package that includes plane ticket.

During their one-year internship abroad, students are paid on monthly basis. Although the package may be expensive, students can cover the expense from their 12-month salary.

8) Will my Hotel Management internship experience of Nepal be valid for other countries?

As Nepal grows as a tourism and hospitality hub, several international hotel chains are attracted to the country to expand their businesses. The century-long hospitality tradition and Western pedagogic knowledge has played an important role in making hospitality business a successful venture.

As Nepal has long hospitality business and culture, internship experience gained inside the country has been well recognized by the renowned international hotels.

Also Read:

✔ 6 Career Options for Hotel Management Students in Nepal

✔ Scope of Hospitality Management in Nepal

Why Mid-Valley International College?

The internship program, rolled out by the MVIC, is a good opportunity for the students, who want to develop their career in hospitality industry. It ensures 100 % job placement in Japan, employment opportunities in Dubai, China, Qatar, India, etc.

The MVIC supports the growth of students from an early stage which greatly boosts their future career. Its three-year course is not merely confined to the student’s academic performance but the college enlightens the students with its core values – compassion, continuous learning, accountability, fantastic and collaboration – which required for the leadership development.

Mukul Subedi
Mid-Valley International College
Batch 10 “A”