Ernie Wiseman
Last Saturday, Internova CEO J.D. O'Hara stood before a group of high school students at the company's headquarters and extolled the virtues of a career in the travel industry, saying, “Some of the advisors who work in this building… Some of them earn more than $1 million a year.”
Three days later, Teresa Via sat in a classroom at Delaware State University (DSU) and told students how she rose from sales manager for a single Hyatt property to sales manager for IHG Hotels & Resorts' entire luxury and lifestyle portfolio. told the group. In the Americas.
Both presentations were aimed at underrepresented students and are examples of continued efforts to increase diversity in the travel industry, as well as, generally speaking, to encourage young people to pursue careers in the travel industry. The purpose was to get people interested.
For those of us who already work in the travel industry, it seems almost a mystery that not everyone in the world wants a career in the travel industry. It may be a bit condescending for me to say this, but if there was a publication called Tube Socks Weekly, the editor would visit as many new manufacturing plants as I would on a field trip to the Caribbean. I wouldn't be excited about that. A new resort.
The groups that organized the two gatherings each had different motivations and approaches tailored to the educational stage of the students they were targeting.
The Internova gathering was born out of the agency group's relationship with an organization called I Am Cultured. The organization broadly aims to equip under-resourced high school students with skills to succeed in life. The cornerstone of its efforts is to take children abroad each summer to experience different cultures and gain a global perspective.
Internova's event focused in part on practical skills. A photographer took a photo of the student's face. Internova's Director of Human Relations, Molly Johnson, conducted her resume writing workshop. And she provided tutorials for LinkedIn executives to get the most out of the platform.
I was asked to share something about the power of networking during a session on the subject. And I thought the event itself was a perfect example. My friend and former colleague Reggie Hudson introduced me to Karmia Berry, founder of I Am Cultured. I introduced her to O'Hara. I said everyone in the room was there as a result of networking.
Inspiration was provided by numerous panels featuring successful Black business owners in a variety of industries, with travel being well-represented. Speakers included Curtis Parris, Director of Account Operations at ProTravel International, Stephen Scott, CEO of Travel Hub 365, Paul Coverdale, Director of Partner Analytics at Internova, and Global Sales Manager at Delta Air Lines. Lisbeth Barrera, Senior Account Manager at Globes, and Michael Lawson, Senior Account Manager at Groves.
The job fair was attended by representatives of sponsors including Abercrombie & Kent, ALG Vacations, AmaWaterways, CIE Tours, Crystal, Delta, Disney, Hyatt, Insight Vacations, MSC Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line. , Omni Hotels & Resorts, Royal Caribbean, Universal, and Maiden Voyage.
The event at DSU, a historically black school, had a different approach and purpose. The hospitality school only has 35 students enrolled. There was a “hospitality takeover” of the campus with speakers, job fairs, food, entertainment and more. The goal was not only to get undeclared students to consider choosing a hospitality major, but also to get students to consider a minor in the field.
Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Four Seasons, and Wyndham participated in the job fair.
Sanya Weston, CEO of Your Premier Travel Group, designed the Travel Advisor Track for Delaware State University's School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. With her is June E. Clark, the department's program director.Photo by Ernie Wiseman
The Travel Advisor Track, designed by Sanya Weston, CEO of Your Premier Travel Group, will be offered by the university for the first time in the fall. She and ASTA's industry director, Alvin Adriano. Samantha Hammond, owner of Jus Adventures Travel Services. Jermaine Humphrey, director of sales and business development for Maribal Resorts, is a member of DSU's Travel and Hospitality Advisory Board.
The event was the first of several planned for historically black colleges and universities with hospitality and travel management programs. This series is organized by the Alliance for Hospitality Equity & Diversity. Brian Barker, clinical professor and executive director of New York University's Tisch Center of Hospitality, also spoke to students. Representatives from Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, the AHLA Foundation, and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau serve on the Alliance's board of directors.
I also participated in IHG's Via in-class panel. Interestingly, it was not a hospitality sector session, but a communication class. Via and panelist Nikki Massey, Hyatt's senior vice president of human resources, both majored in communications.
This raised eyebrows and intrigued the class. After the panel discussion ended, students approached the panelists. I spoke to a young woman named Anias. She is majoring in journalism and she has already set her sights on travel writing.
All things considered, the event appears to have been successful in increasing interest in careers in the travel industry. If I were the editor of her Tube Socks Weekly, or even a scientific magazine, Anias's enthusiasm would not be as obvious.
