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Jump Start -- by Mark Sproxton
Thousands of people visit Calgary each year. And with the addition of conference facilities such as the new convention centre downtown and the expansion of the Roundup Centre, more people than ever will make their way to Cowtown. Those visitors will, of course, need places to stay and people working to make sure their needs are met.
Luckily, there are a wide variety of work opportunities available within Calgary's accommodation industry. Everything from large hotels, small motels, and hostels are located within the city limits. While specific skills are required for many of the jobs, here's a few ideas to get a jump start on work opportunities within the industry:
The Yellowpages, under the headings Hotels, and Motels, lists many individual hotels and motels, and companies with website addresses that can put you in direct contact with employment possibilities.
The Alberta Tourism Education Council (ATEC) offers a number of opportunities to further yourself in the accommodation industry. Through a series of service-related seminars individuals can learn some of the key components to working in the accommodation industry. For those just beginning work in the tourism sector, ATEC offers nationally recognized, self-study occupational certification programs for positions such as banquet server, campground operator, front desk agent, and housekeeping room attendant. The ATEC office can be reached by calling 1-800-265-1283. (Some employers may pay for this training after you've been hired.)
The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) offers a two-year diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management. The four-semester program includes a practical work component and is transferable to a number of degree programs, including the offering at the University of Calgary.
The University of Calgary's Bachelor of Hotel and Resort Management offered jointly with SAIT, takes the two years of practical training and adds a more theoretical component to the training.
The Vatel Institute is going through the steps required to open a hotel school in Canmore, hoping to be ready for entries into a Bachelor of Hotel Management program by fall.
Working part-time at motels, small hotels, or hostels is excellent experience for anyone considering pursuing a career in accommodation. The following websites contain job, industry and/or contact information for accommodation businesses in and around Calgary:
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