Hands-on experience is the ideal way to prepare for a career in hospitality and tourism. An international internship in London teaches young professionals the ins and outs of the tourism and hospitality industry while they work in a multicultural environment. Also while learning along established tourism and hospitality professionals, interns will be have unique access to understanding London’s tourist hotspots.
Working in hospitality and tourism requires a special skill set. Being able to communicate effectively is of high importance, as is enthusiasm, the ability to work well in a team and being flexible. These soft skills will be enhanced and put into practice during a hospitality internship. Moreover, the experience abroad teaches an intern how to work with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Many hospitality and tourism jobs require interaction with people from all over the world, so strong interpersonal skills with people from a variety of cultures will take a young professional a long way.
Roles
Prepare for the competitive and dynamic hospitality and tourism sector with an internship in one of the greatest cities in the world. There are a variety of tourism and hospitality internship roles available for interns in London. Some previous interns have worked in hospitality PR, hospitality marketing and events planning at firms like G&D Events and Sagitter.
Life in London
More languages are spoken in London than in any other city in the world. The vibrant, bustling metropolis makes a historic, multicultural home for interns abroad. The Intern Group provides intern housing in safe, residential areas of London like Canada Water, Rotherhithe and Surrey Quays. Interns can choose to either live in private bedrooms in high quality shared apartment accommodations or stay with a local family for an immersion experience.
A city of culture
London is a beautiful city filled with arts and culture, world-famous sites including many historical treasures. A tourism and hospitality intern will enjoy the wide variety of live music at their disposal, as the city hosts 17,000 music performances a year. London is also home to 857 art galleries and hosts over 250 festivals a year, including the biggest street festival in Europe, Notting Hill Carnival. Comedy fans are also endeared to London as it is the world’s capital for live comedy.
Historical sites
Buckingham Palace is one of London’s most iconic structures. The building was constructed in 1703 as a townhouse for the Duke of Buckingham and is now where the royal family calls home. The palace extends some 830,000 square feet and is open for public tours. Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords of the UK Parliament convene in the famous Palace of Westminster. The historic structure was originally built in the eleventh century and was home to the Kings of England up until 1512, when a fire caused severe damage to the structure. Tours of the historic palace are also available to overseas visitors.
St. Paul’s Cathedral is yet another famous structure among London’s historic architecture. The Anglican cathedral is the mother church of the London Diocese, which dates back to 604 AD. The current structure sits at London’s highest point, Ludgate Hill, and was built in the late 17th century. Interns can check out the cathedral’s English Baroque style firsthand with a guided tour.
Evenings out
The Intern Group London program includes a first class evening at a top play on London’s West End. The area includes many tourist attractions, particularly its world-famous performance venues. Large, mainstream professional shows in London are staged in the “Theatreland” part of the West End. Some of the West End’s longest-running shows include The Mousetrap, Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera. Along with its well-known theatre scene, the West End also has tons of iconic public squares and circuses.
A hospitality and tourism intern will quickly learn that London’s dining scene is hard to beat. The city boasts over 65 Michelin-starred restaurants. London’s oldest restaurant Rules is a delicious, well-known classic dining establishment. Established in 1798, the joint serves classic British food like game, pies and puddings. Also a fixture in London’s culinary scene is Dinner, whose dishes were created as a modern reflection of traditional British recipes.
Boost your career!
A hospitality and tourism internship in London will prepare a young person for their career with hands-on experience in a multicultural city. Not only will interns be able to learn about the hospitality and tourism industry in London, but they will also be able to explore the city for themselves. The experience abroad in a diverse city like London will give a hospitality professional an added understanding of international travel, culture and tourism.
Apply now and boost your career!
Sources: Wikipedia, www.frommers.com, www.visitlondon.com, www.london.gov.uk, Rules.co.uk
Photo 1. based on London, by Olivier Bacquet, CC-by-2.0
Photo 2. based on London bus, by E01, CC-by-2.0