Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management at SLIIT looks to greater success in 2016

As the Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management (CAHM @ SLIIT) reminisces its accomplishments and bids farewell to 2015, the Academy welcomes a successful 2016 with the launch of the new Website “cahm.lk”. 

Linked with the Academy’s Facebook, Youtube and Twitter pages, one could be updated with the latest in Hospitality, Tourism, Foods and Events; all combined with information about the Academy as a whole, news and events held at the campus.  

CAHM @ SLIIT is a joint venture by two well known education institutes-the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) and the Asia Pacific’s number one institute,  for Food, Tourism, Hospitality and Events,  the William Angliss Institute (WAI), Melbourne, Australia. Together the partnership has successfully ensured production of  “Industry Ready” students. 

The first batch of students graduated as they completed 2 years of their course here at CAHM last year (2015), while some of them have gone on  to continue their higher studies in William Angliss Institute (WAI), Melbourne, Australia. Others have acquired employment in leading hotels such as Hilton Colombo, Taj Samudra, Ozo Colombo, Shangri-La Colombo, Kingsbury Colombo and other international hotels and organisations across the globe. 

Being an Academy that mentors International Students from Oman, Maldives and Kenya, CAHM follows the WAI, Melbourne, Australia curriculum, equipping students with a globally recognised qualification. 

A graduate of the first batch and the Most Outstanding Student at the Convocation April 2015, Tatyana Perera had this to say about the Academy and the industry as a whole;

Q: What is your current role and what does it involve?

Currently I’m working as a SEA Management Trainee at Hilton Colombo. Within this one and a half year program I am given the opportunity to explore all the departments in the hotel to get a clear understanding of how the operation works. There after my final 12 months will be based totally on the department which I will be specialising in. In my case I will be specialising in Food & Beverage. 

Q What is the best thing about studying at CAHM and what have you found to be most valuable?

The people I met. From my friends to my lectures. And all the hoteliers I met during my two years as a student and the recognition I got because of the fact that William Angliss is an international brand.

Q What aspects of your study have you found to be most valuable?

The fact that we got a clear overview about the hotel operation, it was just not just the basics it was way more than that. They always taught us in a way we would fit the industry.

The advantage of completing the Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma and Advanced Diploma is the fact that there is always a set career path for a student. May it be in a hotel, a restaurant, an event management company, travel agency etc., there will always be a job opportunity open for a graduate of CAHM. 

A  Graduate of the Convocation held in October 2015, Alvin Samuel  works for Colombo Fashion Week as an intern - Designer Coordinator, and was proud to be a part of the CAHM family. He shared his views of his overall experience of his campus life during his two years at the Academy: 

Q: What is the best thing about studying at CAHM and what have you found to be most valuable?

The superior and detailed level of education they provide. CAHM has been a very adaptable and friendly place and is a great learning environment.

The staff and classmates have all been equals where everyone is treated like professionals, which builds up a student’s confidence abundantly.

Outstanding among many valuable things to be found at CAHM would be the friendships we make with students as well as lecturers and staff. We end up learning a lot from each other outside the classroom as well, which is much more practical and easier to grasp. The friendships become great contacts in future as everyone is in the hospitality industry. That would be considered one of the most valuable things in the long run.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about your course?

The fact that each and every aspect of hospitality was broken down for us and made easier to understand and taught to us in a very methodical manner. We ended up learning more than we expected, from the lecturers as well as one another.

CAHM has a superior level of understanding and having students from all walks of life and this helps each and every one open themselves up to a whole new set of people and build confidence in each other, which has been one of the greatest things about CAHM…  It’s the diversity.

Apart from the aforementioned partnership, CAHM has a strong relationship with the Renaissance Services Group in Oman where recognised nationals are given scholarships or sent to the Academy in Sri Lanka to get qualified.

A student from the scholarship program awarded the Most Outstanding Student of the batch of 2013-2015 (August) at the convocation on 6 October held at the BMICH, Colombo, Ahed Al Jabri, mentioned that her educational experience here in Sri Lanka was a memorable one as, “The best thing in CAHM is the environment.  People are friendly and helpful.  We had a chance to express our ideas and thoughts during the classes. Teachers are flexible and they are supportive of the students to improve.”

Although she faced certain challenges due to her cultural and religious setting, she adapted well to the best of her abilities to the hospitality and tourism requirements that were an essential part of the programme. Gaining practical knowledge through the course is a pivotal role where Ahed had exposure to “real working conditions”. Some of the subjects that were most valuable to her were Finance, Human Resources, Business Plans, and Food and Beverage that carried weight as she is the Director of Production and Quality Assurance in her family business in Oman. 

CAHM gives back to the community by hosting 100 students from schools of different parts of Sri Lanka every month during the past year through a Home Economics workshop. Here the lecturers at the academy cover areas such as; Industry Challenges, Future plans to increase Tourism and Development of the overall industry, Health and Safety, Food and Beverage and Culinary Arts. 

As for further nourishing the students studying at CAHM, the Academy held an Industry conference along with many Industry Dignitaries along with the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Paddy Withana. 

The Academy is looking forward to spreading its wings and reaching out to students from all parts of the island, especially Jaffna as CAHM will take part in the Adyapana Exhibition and Road Show in the North during the month of January. 

If you have successfully completed your O/Ls, with passes for Mathematics and English Language you will be eligible to apply for the programme at CAHM. As the Academy has a 90% Employee Success Rate, it will open the door for career opportunities in Sri Lanka and overseas.

Colombo Academy of Hospitality Management wishes you a prosperous 2016 and will guide you to a successful career path.

Be a part of the CAHM family – Choose CAHM and Lead on! Enrolments for the January intake is now on – limited space available. Contact us on +94 11 240 7780,  mail us on [email protected] or log on to our website cahm.lk for more information.