Finding the Right Fit: Choosing a Hospitality Management Internship

A post from AIHM Student Ambassador Khemkhaeng Andrew Rohrbach, third-year Bachelor of Business Administration student in Global Hospitality Management

As a member of the first cohort of the Asian Institute of Hospitality Management in Academic Association with Les Roches, I’ve been able to benefit from a wealth of opportunities during my studies here. Soon after joining the institute, I participated in the PHIST conference, an initiative dedicated to sustainable tourism development hosted by the Phuket Hotel Association along with other industry partners.

I was able to share my voice as an AIHM student. Following that opportunity, I was able to participate in AIHM advertising and marketing initiatives, take part in an open house for parents, attend guest lectures at AIHM by hotel industry leaders and other visiting experts, and collaborate with the popular Thai social media influencer Slang A-hO-lic to promote education at AIHM.

Aside from these opportunities above, two of the most valuable hospitality industry experiences I’ve had to date as an AIHM student are my internships. Like all BBA students at AIHM, I’ve been able to experience two different internships during my time here. Read on to learn about my internship journey.

An Internship in Sales & Marketing…and More

My first internship during my degree programme was at The Peninsula Bangkok as a Sales & Marketing Trainee. I learned first-hand how sales and marketing play a crucial role in the hospitality industry—going out to meet corporate and travel trade clients, taking part in sales inspections, developing sales proposals and assisting with social media for the hotel.

During my experience as a Sales and Marketing Trainee, I also began learning from the Banqueting and Food & Beverage Departments. One of the highlights: participating in an event at Icon Siam.

New Adventures in Hospitality

After completing my seven-month internship and continuing to study at AIHM, I decided to spend my days off on the weekend by working part-time in the lobby at The Peninsula, learning the F&B service standard of the Peninsula Hotels. This part-time experience also allowed me to gain more learning opportunities in the Banqueting Department, adapting my new skills and knowledge in food and beverages to a different aspect of the hotel industry. I was able to experience the department’s operations, helping with preparation and service in banquet events such as weddings, business events, social gatherings, brand collaboration events, and the hotel’s outside events.

During this time, I also decided to launch a website called the Inside Scoop of the Hospitality Industry. The purpose and aim of the website is to explore the hospitality industry by interviewing and learning from specialists and experts, getting an in-depth understanding of their experience and learning how they become the person they are now. It’s a wonderful and inspiring experience for me to be able to share these articles with the institute and other AIHM students.

At the beginning of the year 2023, I was able to enhance my food and beverage service knowledge and skills even further, building on my practical arts courses from AIHM and prior work with The Peninsula. I dedicated my weekends to working part-time at Riva del Fiume Ristorante at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.

An Internship as a Front Office Trainee

Following my initial experience at Riva del Fiume, I was able to continue learning at the Four Seasons with a semester-long internship as a Front Office Trainee—learning the roles and responsibilities of the Front Desk, Concierge, Guest Relations and being able to participate in a management project by the Director of Rooms. Now that I’ve completed this internship, I’ve gained a strong understanding of how the Front Office works as a multi-faceted department, how each division within it supports the others and how all the elements unite together.

Finding an Internship and Overcoming Challenges

How do you know where to go for your internships and which department is right for you? This wasn’t an easy question for me to answer.

During my Practical Arts hospitality courses, I applied to internships at 27 hotel brands worldwide, all outside of Bangkok. Out of all the applications I sent, I was rejected by 26 of them. During those moments, I was very stressed and worried I wouldn’t be able to secure any internship abroad, and this was my last opportunity for an internship during my degree.

I can remember very well the moment things changed. It was 10:30 am. I was sitting at the Coffee Club, drinking coffee with one of my classmates, discussing our upcoming internships. During our conversation, Mr. Warren Stanworth (Academic Dean of AIHM) and Mr. Ishaan Dargan (Practical Arts Programme Leader), who were also there, gave me advice that will change my life forever. They told me: “Choose the brand you want to work with, the brand that aligns with your needs, not the location.” When applying for an internship, it is about so much more than just the location. We take part in internships to learn and gain experience, to see a glimpse of the real world and try new and different aspects of the hospitality industry. You explore and discover which areas are your essential strengths. You develop crucial experience that will help set you above the competition when you begin applying for a career in the hospitality industry.

I always advise the junior students at AIHM to choose the brand that fits them and their aspirations. Think about what you want to learn from your internship or the relationships you want to build, not the location you want to live in. You’re choosing an internship to help you evolve your mindset, to explore your passions and to gain experience overcoming obstacles, which you will see as stepping stones to grow and develop yourself.

Do You Want to Learn More About What Life is Like as an AIHM Hospitality Management Student?

If you have any questions for me, please feel free to reach out to me on our AIHM Ambassador platform.

My fellow Student Ambassadors and I would love to talk to you!