Sorin Grigore feels satisfied with his three months' experiences in the F&B Department at W Barcelona. Working with people from 20 different nationalities has extended his knowledge about different cultures and on how the international hospitality business dynamics work.
During his internship, the student from Romania worked in different F&B outlets at the hotel, which included 10 venues like restaurants, pool areas, the beach, nightclubs, banqueting etc. "I had operational and managerial tasks. Fifty percent of my time, I assisted supervisors and did daily activities as coordination of timetables, employee assistance and assisting in the process of contracting temporary agency staff. The rest of the time, I worked as a bartender, waiter and most of the competences required were about problem solving and communication skills," he explains.
American Culture
The 24-year-old student has been living and studying in Denmark for 3 years. "When I traveled to Spain I felt like I was leaving my comfort zone, and I experienced a little change when I came to Spain. The main shock was the language, but with the professional help of friends and colleagues, I passed this barrier easily. I have learned a lot of Spanish compared to the level I had before."
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide owns W Barcelona hotel. "The culture and way of doing things in W Hotels is 100% American. I worked 8 hours every day. It is different from Denmark, Romania and even Spain. In hospitality in Romania, you cannot find the same conditions. There we work 10 hours daily."
Sorin has also been captivated by the Mediterranean food, "Now I am eating more fish, fruits of the sea, and normal fruits."
From Marketing to BA in International Hospitality
Once a graduate of AP in Marketing Management at Dania in Randers, Sorin enrolled into the BA in International Hospitality Management, as he had already worked in that field before coming to Denmark. "I have been working in the Hospitality field in Romania since I was 18 years old, after I graduated from an International course in Bartending. My first job was in a pub, and then I focused on working in clubs because I could work less and earn more money."
As a part of his BA internship program, he has to hand in a project focused on different topics learned at Dania. "I will mainly focus on motivational and leadership aspects at the W Barcelona."
Sorin describes the three months in Spain as an invaluable personal and professional experience that has expanded his horizons as he has had the chance to work in a multicultural environment and to meet great people. "I consider it a big step forward in my future career in the hospitality industry. If an opportunity arises in Spain I will strongly consider it."