Meeting and Events Executive Review

I enjoyed my placement at Grange Hotels, particularly at the beginning when I was working on reception at Grange St Pauls Hotel during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For the majority of my placement I worked within the events office at the Grange Tower Bridge Hotel, where I was given much responsibility and praise for my work by my colleagues and my manager and really felt part of the team, and not just a placement student.

Within the events office, I was given 100% support and guidance from my office manager.

I was not treated as an extra in the events office, I was a valued member of the team, and I was constantly busy with enquiries, dealing with customers and managing events on a daily basis.

When I first began my placement I was on reception for 3 months where my responsibility was limited, however when I was transferred into the events office I was given much more responsibility.

I graduated In Events Management, and therefore the skills I have developed within my placement year, particularly within events are completely relevant to my degree and after graduation. Working in the events office has boosted my CV and puts me one step ahead on the graduation career ladder.

The atmosphere was generally happy and positive, professional enough but relaxed enough that I could talk to manager if I had any issues or problems.

One improvement could be the way the placement is structured. When I first started the placement, I was unaware of any timing structures, and I did not know when I would be moving between departments.

There is a training department within Grange Hotels, where they offer courses on Customer Service, Complaint Handling, Sales training, PC System training etc. Additionally my manager invested time and energy to train me, and was always around if I needed help or guidance.

There are many future employment prospects within the organisation should placement students wish to return to the company post graduation.

Yes,

Grange Hotels are based in London, and I worked mainly in Tower Bridge. I lived in the East in Zone 2 where rent prices were between £500 and £700 pounds per room for the month. Living in London can be expensive, however Grange Hotels provide a competitive placement salary.

As a team we occasionally went out for drinks within the Liverpool Street, Aldgate area, which is busy and vibrant.

There were lots of opportunities to get involved in activities, especially in London, with either work colleagues or friends. I socialised quite a lot during my placement, because I wanted to make the most of living in such a big city with plenty to do and see.