Les Roches Jin Jiang, Shanghai's photostream

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First of all, when you go for interviews always be professional and courteous. Even if you end up taking an offer from a different hotel, you will soon notice that even though Shanghai is a huge city, just about everybody in the hotel business knows each other, so make sure you do not give yourself a bad name before you've even started.

Being at Les Roches is very useful in the sense that it gives you a basic theoretical background for working in the hospitality industry, another plus point is that the practical part is, mostly, left over to your own experience during your internship, for which nothing can really prepare you.

My personal advice towards Chinese students would be to find something that you're good at and use that to try to stand out among the rest. The labor supply is very high, however skilled staff is extremely hard to find, use that to your advantage. If you don't speak up no one will notice you and you're likely to stay in the same position for some time to come. For expat students, especially European and American, you will find the differences with back home are many and challenges arise every day. Some of the biggest challenges I was confronted with were the language barrier and different mindset and mentality of that which I previous worked with in Europe. To condemn either as good or bad is pointless, and as we are in China it is up to us to adapt to the environment otherwise you will not survive in the hotel business in China. It is absolutely wrong to assume superiority over others as an expat trainee, the real difficulty lies with influencing the people you work with, without the power of the hierarchy behind you. The supply of expat managers is plentiful and just as with the local trainees, you will have to do everything in your power to show that you are the person that can contribute to the hotel, whether you are looking for future opportunities abroad or in China.

Regardless of whether you are local or expat, another key element for your internship is to ensure that you have a "good working relationship" with your superiors. I can still hear that phrase ringing in my ears from various lecturers at Les Roches.. and they were right. You will undoubtedly come across situations where you need support from your boss; often their time is limited and they need to be selective about how they allocate it. You will find that the work environment is often a place where relationships and a good image are required in addition to hard work if you want to make things happen. Depending on what position you complete your internship in (waiter/housekeeper, supervisor, assistant manager, management trainee,...) you are bound to experience some degree of responsibility and the stress that goes along with it. Sometimes your superiors need to know just how far you can go, this is when they put you to the test and where it is vital to stand up to the challenge. Working in a hotel can be a demanding job, especially in China, however it is better to endure the learning experience during your internship so that you are better prepared for a "real" job afterwards than to have to make the same mistakes later.

Another big advantage for me is; I have found it especially interesting to be able to work for a renowned international lodging company. Working for Marriott has given me living proof that hospitality really offers many international opportunities, for example in the F&B department alone we work with various nationalities such as French, Austrian, German, Filipino, myself as Belgian and many people from all around China. Through-out the hotel there are senior mangers from all around Asia; Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong-Kong,.. as well as South America, and various countries in Europe of which most have worked in several countries around the world before coming to China. China, with Shanghai at the head of the pack, is undoubtedly the fastest growing market for luxury accommodation in the world and expected to become the number one tourist destination globally within several years, making it a place full of opportunity for those who seize it.

If I could conclude with 3 tips for anyone planning to do their internship in China:
1) Learn the language, it makes everything much easier.
2) Pay attention to ppt classes and do your presentations seriously, your department head or GM is bound to ask you to prepare a ppt at some stage.
3) Keep in touch with your Les Roches friends, it’s a great way to learn about how other hotels work and can open up opportunities for the future.

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I decided to study in Les Roches because I thought that it was a good idea to integrate a college with a good reputation, to be prepared as much as possible to work in the best 5 star hotels. Most of the managers in hotels know Les Roches so it is really an advantage in your CV to be graduated from this school. I also think it adds value to your CV, in terms of professionalism, credibility, skills, knowledge and seriousness.

I expected to expand my knowledge and reinforce my skills by studying in this college. Moreover, I really wanted to improve my English which was very poor when I arrived. All of those challenges have been achieved thanks to the program in LRJJ.

I have done an internship in Pullman Shanghai Skyway Hotel and want to also have another internship in a different hotel. It was Management Training in Food & Beverage and I really enjoyed it! I was not lost because of what I have learnt in HA I and HA II and because of my previous experiences. To feel comfortable and really enjoy the work, all those values are really important.

If you really want to study in a professional atmosphere but without too much pressure you should come in this college. You will acquire the global knowledge needed if you want a high position in the hotel. Step by step you are more considered as a Manager and not as a student anymore. So, teachers are expecting a professional attitude and they are establishing a real “hotel atmosphere” in this school (grooming, attitude, etc…).

Living in China is simply a lesson for many French. Indeed, France is a country where the lifestyle is very good. Discovering another totally different country is very useful for yourself because you may learn some values that you forget living in a European country, such as the respect or the understanding.
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Cette école est parfaite pour les étudiants qui sont réellement passionnés par l’hôtellerie. On y apprend les bases du métier (service, cuisine, chambres, etc…) pour ensuite plus approfondir vers du management. Ces deux années HA1 et HAII, où la pratique est une grande partie du programme, sont essentielles. Ce sont ces bases qui vont vous permettre de respecter et de connaitre tous les genres de métier dans un hôtel. Sans ce savoir, il est impossible de comprendre et donc de manager un service ou même une simple équipe. L’équipe enseignante est représentée par des professeurs qui ont tous une expérience confirmée dans ce milieu et qui au-delà de leur spécialité n’hésiteront pas à vous donner de précieux conseils.
En ce qui concerne la vie en Chine, c’est une expérience que je recommande vraiment aux Français. En effet, cette peut-être naturelle arrogance et fierté que nous avons tous en tant que français s’éteindra bien vite ici car pour réussir dans ce pays seul la compréhension de la culture et le respect de l’autre sont les clés de la réussite!
C’est aussi une excellente expérience humaine où vous vous ferez des amis de tout horizon.

This school is perfect for the students who are really impassioned by the hotel trade. One learns the bases there from the trade (service, kitchen, rooms division, etc…) for deepening them more towards management. These two years HA I and HA II, where practice is most of the program, are essential. These are the bases which will enable you to respect and to know all kinds of operations in a hotel. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to understand and thus to manage a service or even a simple team.

The teaching team is represented by professors who all have confirmed experience in this profession and will not hesitate to give you invaluable guidance beyond their specialty.

With regard to the life in China, it is an experience which I really recommend to the French. Indeed, this perhaps natural arrogance and pride which we all have as French will extinguish well quickly here because to be successful in this country only the comprehension of the culture and respect of others will be key to your success! It is also an excellent personal experience where you will make friends from all horizons.

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Les Roches School of Hotel Management has a sound reputation around the world. I have chosen the Chinese branch of this University, Les Roches Jin Jiang, as I wanted to achieve two things at once; get a solid knowledge and get to know the Chinese people, culture, and especially language. China is going forward at a steady speed everywhere including the hospitality industry.

It's an excellent perspective for a future manager to have a good command of the Chinese language and have an experience studying and working with Chinese people as their culture and traditions are different from Western and even some Asian cultures.

The college gave me a sound knowledge to enter the industry without a hindrance or doubt. For my internship I was working in the French pavilion and now I have been transferred to a new opening French restaurant in downtown and I have been promoted. I was planning to make my 2nd internship in France, so this internship would be a good start. I got an experience to observe the process of the opening of the restaurant and I find that quite useful for me.

Shanghai is a fantastic city to study, work and just enjoy your life. It is a great experience for me. I have been here already 8 months and do not regret that I decided to study here.

Что мне нравится в системе Les Roches – это то, что есть возможности перевода в филиалы университета в разных странах, где индустрия гостеприимства не стоит на месте. К одной из бурно развивающихся стран в сфере гостеприимства и не только, относится Китай. Здесь я приобрела богатый опыт, который не получила бы, пройдя весь курс в Швейцарии. Мне нравится Шанхай и все, что здесь происходит. Ты просто не успеваешь уследить как быстро здесь все развивается. Изучение главного диалекта Китая – Путунхуа («Мандарин»), и опыт работы с китайским народом, одно из главных преимуществ студентов, обучающихся в Les Roches Jin Jiang.

What pleases me in the system of Les Roches Jin Jiang is that there is the possibility to transfer into the sister schools in the different countries, where the industry of hospitality does not stand on the spot. China is one of the quickest developing countries in the sphere of hospitality and also much more than this. Here I acquired a wide experience, which would not be obtained, after passing the entire course in Switzerland. Shanghai and everything that happens here pleases me. You simply cannot follow everything here as it develops so quickly. One of the key advantages for Les Roches Jin Jiang students is the study of the main dialect, Mandarin, and work experience with the Chinese people.

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Jennifer from France: I changed from International Business to International Hospitality because it was really my thing since I was a child, I really wanted to take the chance. I wanted to go in the sister school, and then I learned there was the school in China, so I really wanted to go here as it is a great opportunity to study in China, as China's industry it is moving really fast now - it is a great chance!

Kamil from Kazakhstan: As we all know, China is really developing fast, and any possibilities, any chances people can have are here right now, at this particular moment, so that's why a lot of people are coming to China right now, to share the experience, to learn more about it and to give it a shot here.

Jennifer: Chinese people are beginning to travel a lot in the world, and as it is a great nation, there will be a lot of tourists. So we really need to know how to greet them, how to welcome them, how to make them feel at home, even in France and Kazakstan, everywhere.

Kamil: In comparison to say, Europe or US, where we can say this industry is developed, in China we have a really good opportunity to start from the beginning and reach all of our goals being set.

Jennifer: In the college we have lots of different activities and clubs: sports, Culinary Club etc. I really enjoy Culinary Club, it's really interesting.

Kamil: I would say I am completely satisfied with all the subjects, and the way the teachers are giving us their knowledge.

It's a really good experience to study in China at Les Roches Jin Jiang, and then transfer to Switzerland, Spain, Australia or the USA for a degree.

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My dream is to work in the Human Resources section of the hospitality industry and with that stable job, travel the world.

The hospitality industry is just so diverse, that no matter what you are interested in, you will find a job that you love.

You never know unless you try!