Navi Mumbai : When ITM Institute of Hotel Management’s incoming batch arrived for an orientation, they didn’t get a slideshow; they got hospitality professionals from St. Regis and Novotel, directly addressing them. Rather than a conventional induction, the institute built the session around real industry voices, speaking to students about what the profession actually demands and what it offers those willing to work for it.
Among those who addressed the students were Chef Paul Kinny, Director – Culinary at The St. Regis Mumbai; Mr. Ajoy Balkrishna, Vice President at Balwa Group & Fairfield by Marriott; and Chef Lawrence Amalriaj, Sous Chef at Vivanta Turbhe. Each drew on years of experience across professional kitchens and hospitality operations to talk through the realities of the industry. Students were introduced to the discipline it demands and the opportunities it opens up for those starting out.
The orientation also featured an Industry Connect Session helmed by Mr. Shoaib Mulla, HR at Novotel, and Mr. Rahul Keshap, Learning & Development Manager at The St. Regis Mumbai. The two walked students through what employers actually look for, the skills worth building early and how to approach a career in an industry that is as competitive as it is global.
Ms. Purva Tawade, Director, IHM, said the orientation reflected the institute’s larger approach to preparing students, “At ITM IHM, we work to blur the lines between the classroom and the industry through regular interactions, workshops, masterclasses and conversations with professionals who are actually shaping the hospitality sector. The idea is that by the time our students enter the placement season, their degree is not the only thing they have to bank on. Over three years, they have built perspective, professional intuition and an understanding of how the industry works through sustained, rigorous exposure to it. We want that journey to begin right from orientation, so students start thinking about the industry not as something they will enter after graduation, but as a space they are already learning to navigate.”
The industry exposure at ITM IHM extends beyond the classroom and into global career opportunities. The institute’s international recruiter and placement network includes hospitality brands across destinations such as the USA, Mauritius, UAE, Bahrain and New Zealand, including Grand Hyatt Washington D.C., JW Marriott Auckland, Jumeirah Al Naseem Dubai, Sofitel Bahrain Thalassa Sea & Spa, The Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons.
The session is one part of a broader emphasis at ITM IHM on learning that stays close to the industry it prepares students for. The institute focuses on internships, grooming and sustained exposure to working professionals, giving students opportunities to understand the profession beyond the classroom and build industry readiness well before graduation.