Celebrating the success of students at the Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management

Monday, 20 April 2015 00:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM) at SLIIT held its annual convocation on 8 April at the Taj Samudra. The chief guest of the event was Minister of Higher Education and Research, Dr. Sarath Amunugama while High Commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka Robin Mudie graced the convocation as the guest of honour. Parents of the graduating students, the staff of CAHM and other distinguished guests added colour to a night that celebrated and recognised the hard-earned achievements of the students. CAHM, a leading hospitality management academy in the country, is a joint venture with the William Angliss Institute, a world-acclaimed specialist centre for food, tourism, hospitality and events, and the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology. With a current student body of about 320, the courses that the institute offers range from the hospitality to corporate sectors and include programs on Guest Services, Professional Food and Beverage Services, Front Office Management, Executive Development, Understanding International Guest Culture, Dealing with Conflict Situations and Human Resources and Staff Development to name a few. Spanning across two years, the overall program follows four stages: Certificate III in Hospitality, Certificate IV in Hospitality, Diploma of Hospitality and Advanced Diploma of Hospitality.

“Therefore the program covers a broad spectrum in the two-year period,” revealed CAHM Chief Executive Officer Steven Bradie-Miles. “As such, students who graduate from CAHM do not necessarily have to work in a hotel, they can seek employment with airlines, cruise ships, resorts and even careers related to events and functions - basically anything in the field of hospitality. They are not pigeonholed into becoming a manager in a hotel.” In order to gain admission to CAHM, a prospective student first has to apply and then sit for the aptitude test. Those who have five credit passes in O/L, including English, and pass the aptitude test will be enrolled in the program. CAHM follows the Australian curriculum as guided by the William Angliss Institute and adheres to the quality standards that are set by the Australian Government, truly providing a course that is well on par with international institutions worldwide. State-of-the-art facilities The facilities at the campus also reflect the highest quality standards with a special building dedicated to the CAHM. Classrooms, arranged with

Wi-Fi facilities, practical rooms and a state-of-the-art kitchen, which is the largest training kitchen in Sri Lanka and is modelled on those in Australia. “Even if students don’t choose a career in the culinary sector, we still include several food units into our program as students should be exposed and have an understanding of the back of house operations, including cooking, inventory, stock control and menu costing,” affirmed Steven Bradie-Miles. “All students can also experience real campus life due to the unique atmosphere at SLIIT,” added CAHM Chairman Errol Weerasinghe. “We also have about 25 international students here bringing in that blend of cultures. Furthermore, all subjects are delivered in English, which is a benefit for all. As such there are a lot of advantages to studying here.” Speaking further he said: “Our aim is to make CAHM an internationally-recognised academy and bring in more international students.” Offering an experience that goes beyond the classroom, the academy offers its graduates vast job prospects. While some opt to further their studies in Melbourne, Australia following the degree pathway, most prefer to gain some on-the-job experience. “Job prospects have been fantastic for the graduating batch,” said President SLIIT and CAHM Director Prof. Lalith Gamage. “About 90% of the graduates are now placed in exciting roles in industry. Some have even obtained job opportunities from well-known hotel chains and the academy is now receiving placement offers from organisations in the Maldives, India and Dubai. Learning and graduating from CAHM is an enjoyable experience for students and those who have gone into the management trainee space will see rapid growth through the industry.” In order to make students industry-ready, CAHM conducts mock interviews to prepare and assist students on how to face their future prospects more confidently. As such, the academy always strives to impart the best learning environment with highly qualified teaching staff and modern facilities for the students so that they can achieve their career goals. For more information please contact 011 240 7780-2 or visit www.cahm.lk.