Hilton Worldwide has signed agreements with Tianjin based TUC-FIU Cooperative School of Hospitality Management (TUC-FIU) and Guangdong’s Shunde Polytechnic to jointly cultivate talent for the booming Chinese hospitality industry.
“Hilton Worldwide’s collaboration with TUC-FIU and Shunde Polytechnic demonstrates our commitment to growth in China, one of our most important markets outside the United States. Talent development is a critical element of our strategy to support our ambitious expansion in this market and to nurture the development of talented young people who can contribute to elevating the local hospitality industry,” said David Osborne, senior vice president, HR Operations and Development, Hilton Worldwide.
Under the new partnerships, approximately 20 top students will be selected by Hilton Worldwide and the hospitality management colleges each year, to undergo rigorous workplace training provided by Hilton Worldwide. By the end of their course, each student would have completed three full-time internships, earning 18 months of practical experience working at Hilton Worldwide’s managed properties in total to complement their theoretical learning.
In addition, Hilton Worldwide may also offer other curricula designed to equip students for successful careers in hospitality in the form of guest lectures, on-site visits and e-learning programs. Outstanding students could also potentially secure job offers with properties managed by Hilton upon graduation.
Ms Wang Wenjun, Dean of TUC-FIU Corporate School, Tianjin University of Commerce, said, “Producing graduates who thrive in the workplace has always been a hallmark of the education we provide at TUC-FIU. Our partnership with Hilton Worldwide provides an exciting opportunity for students to cultivate their professional qualities and abilities through being trained by one the world’s leading industry players. We are confident the initiative will help produce well-rounded talent who will be in hot demand upon graduation.”
Mr. Xia Wei, Dean of Shunde Polytechnic, added, “Shunde Polytechnic is delighted to partner with Hilton Worldwide to open up opportunities for our students to gain valuable work experience in addition to the comprehensive education they gain from our curricula. Being trained by the industry’s best will enable our students to learn best practices and better equip them to adapt to and succeed in the workplace when they graduate.”
Hilton Worldwide’s partnerships with TUC-FIU and Shunde Polytechnic follow a similar agreement the company signed with Shanghai-based Les Roches Jin Jiang International Hotel Management College in November last year. The company is still actively exploring opportunities to partner other leading hospitality and tourism schools in China, to access best-in-class talent as it seeks to expand from the current over 25 to more than 100 hotels over the next five years.
