Hospitality student leaps into career

The 2019 Todd Blake Student Award winner was announced at the 2019 Victorian Tourism Conference as Shaneal Williams. Shaneal has just completed her studies and already has gained employment in the industry. She talked to us about her work-integrated learning.

"My (WIL) placement at the Quest Royal Gardens in Fitzroy in 2018 provided me with the opportunity to obtain work experience and practical industry insight before I graduated from Victoria University. I was able to expand my knowledge, capabilities and practical skills within multiple departments during my WIL placement.

"This sort of arrangement gave me a greater understanding of hotel operations and I gained invaluable business acumen by having that ‘pie-chart’ view of the co-dependency of each department.

"The Work Integrated Learning enterprise by Victoria University is a great initiative led by caring professionals who gave me the support I needed during my placement. The exposure gathered from the WIL program is a unique experience that I could not have gained elsewhere. Participating in this program has done a great job at preparing me for success in the ‘life after university’."