The ITC EAST 2019-20 Batch 7 & 8 orientation kicked off on 2nd November 2019 with a dynamic group of students eager to embark on their new journey in the hospitality management course. This seven-day workshop was designed to immerse the candidates in essential values and attitudes, fostering situational awareness and decision-making skills for optimal outcomes. In today's workforce, soft skills have become indispensable, complementing technical expertise to enhance communication and collaboration.
Ms. Estrela Osta, the Communicative English and ITES Trainer from Don Bosco Nitika, emphasized the importance of interpersonal growth and the role of social interactions in personal development. Recognizing that humans are inherently social beings, she leveraged engaging games to instill moral values, soft skills, and teamwork among the students. These activities were designed to help students understand the necessity of mutual support, adaptability, and resilience in a challenging environment.
During the first week, the focus was on domain knowledge while actively fostering communicative, leadership, and trust-building skills. Students enjoyed collaborating with Ms. Osta, participating enthusiastically in activities that highlighted essential soft skills such as patient listening, effective communication, concentration, self-confidence, determination, team coordination, and maintaining a positive attitude. Games like "Chinese Whisper," "Paper Models for the Hotel Industry," “Goal Setting,” “Human Snake,” and "Balancing the Ball and Bamboo Stick" were instrumental in transforming a group of strangers into a cohesive team. These activities underscored the importance of goal setting, perception, values, time management, grooming, team building, money management, communication, attitude, and self-esteem in a practical and engaging manner.
Feedback from the students at the end of the first week was overwhelmingly positive. They demonstrated their learning through chart paper presentations, effectively showcasing their understanding and research about the hospitality sector. This hands-on approach allowed students to grasp concepts beyond textbooks, preparing them for successful careers in hotel management. The students expressed their gratitude to Don Bosco Nitika for providing such a transformative and enriching experience, setting a solid foundation for their future endeavors in the industry.