Doors open for Hospitality Day

23 May 2023

University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) hosted a Hospitality Industry Day at its IQ Building in SA1 Waterfront Campus, Swansea on Monday 22nd May.

Hospitality Conference 2023 - International Hotel Management students group photo outside IQ.

The event saw over 600 prospective professionals, current students and FE colleges join in-person and online. Attendees were encouraged and educated about careers and trends within Wales’ flourishing Hospitality sector and opportunities further afield.

Speakers included prominent hospitality industry professionals working in south Wales including Thomas Ferrante, Group Director at Seren Collection, Christie Hayes, Restaurant Manager of the Year, Beach House, Vicky Probert, Director of Sales at Village Hotels and Martyn Guest, Head Chef of Swansea.com Stadium.

Attendees also heard from current World Young Chef Young Waiter champions Tilly Morris and Ali Halbert, who put Wales on the international stage after winning the regional finals hosted by UWTSD in Swansea last autumn and world championships in Monaco.

Sean Valentine FIH, Managing Director of the World Young Chef Young Waiter Competition gave an introduction to the competition, discussed the Michelin system in the UK and the Hospitality sector as a whole. UWTSD academics from the fields of International Hotel Management and Marketing and Public Relations also shared their expertise.

World Champions of YCYW Tilly Morris and Ali Halbert having an interview.

Ffion Cumberpatch, Placement Programme Manager for International Gastronomy Management at UWTSD said: “We were delighted to offer a Hospitality Conference that brought together experts and prospective professionals in a setting that allowed them to network as well as learn, creating those all-important industry connections.”

Robyn Griffiths, Programme Manager for MBA International Hotel Management at UWTSD, added: “We believe passionately that now is a great time to join the hospitality industry.

“With incredible placement opportunities on offer from UWTSD, such as at the Seren Collection, Thomas in Pontcanna, Ynyshir, Marriott and Hilton Hotels to name but a few, we are giving students the best possible industry opportunities alongside their degree.”

Anyone interested in a career within hospitality can explore the industry specialist International Hotel Management or International Gastronomy Management courses on offer at UWTSD.