INTERNSHIP MANUAL. BBA Tourism and Hospitality Management BBA Tourism, Hotel Management and Operations (Version September 2013)

Transcription

1 INTERNSHIP MANUAL BBA Tourism and Hospitality Management BBA Tourism, Hotel Management and Operations (Version September 2013) valid for students who enrolled in the BBA program as of Spring

2 OVERVIEW Internships are supervised, practical training periods for which students earn academic credits. Internships provide excellent opportunities for students to put into practice much of the knowledge and skills acquired during their studies and to gain firsthand knowledge of the tourism and hospitality industries. It is also an opportunity for employers to observe the student in the work environment and evaluate their management potential for possible future employment. MODUL University Vienna requires that BBA students complete a 450-hour internship. In addition, MODUL University Vienna gives BBA students the opportunity to choose between writing a bachelor thesis, taking 3 enrichment courses or doing an additional 450 hours of internship. The organizations selected for internships can range from large destination marketing organizations and major hotel chains to small and medium-sized enterprises. It is each student s own responsibility to find an internship placement. MODUL University Vienna maintains relations with a wide range of internship partners who are listed under However, it is also possible that a student proposes an internship placement that is not listed in the database. It is mandatory for BBA students to attend one Internship Preparation Workshop, given every semester, in order to obtain the Internship Preparation Certificate. The certificate entitles students to obtain support from MODUL Career and is a prerequisite in order to get the internship contract signed. A waiver for the certificate may be granted by the internship coordinator under special circumstances. OBJECTIVES Both students and partner organizations benefit from the internship program. Companies and organizations gain through: Employer branding Establishing academic partnerships The input of fresh, innovative ideas through talented students Gaining additional manpower during critical times Developing a pool of talent from which to recruit once students graduate The opportunity to give feedback to the university about knowledge and skills required by graduates Students gain through: Acquiring experience in a real-life work environment Having a chance to put theory into practice Increasing the level of maturity and grasp of business culture Developing vocational and personal skills Enhancing career opportunities and establishing useful contacts in the industry Having the opportunity to travel, earn a salary and enjoy an independent and different way of life 2

3 CODE OF CONDUCT 1. Your conduct and performance represents not only yourself but also MODUL University. During your internship, you are effectively and ambassador for the university and should act accordingly. 2. You must adhere to the MU code of conduct during your internship 3. You must respect the laws of the country where you perform your internship 4. You must dress appropriately for your position 5. You must misrepresent neither yourself nor MU in your CV, the interview process, or the internship. 6. You must complete the internship as stated and under the conditions in your internship contract. Failure to comply with these rules may result in no ECTS points being awarded at the conclusion of your internship. FRAMEWORK I. Mandatory internship / 450 Hours / 8 ECTS 1. According to the curricula of the BBA study programs, an internship with a time investment of at least 450 hours (8 ECTS) must be completed in the field of hospitality or tourism (hotel, travel agency, airline, online booking portal, tourist board, event management company, hospitality consulting company, etc.). If you are unclear if an organization fulfills the requirements for an internship provider, ask the Internship Coordinator at the MODUL Career Office. 2. This internship can be completed domestically or abroad. 3. As part of the internship, the student must attend the Internship Preparation Workshop prior to starting his or her internship. A waiver may be granted by the internship coordinator in case of justified reasons (e.g. already attended an equivalent workshop) 4. The selection of the company requires the approval of the Internship Coordinator. This means that the Internship Contract Form signed by the student and the Human Resources Manager of the company has to be submitted to the Internship Coordinator at the MODUL Career Office PRIOR to starting the internship. The contract is only valid if it is signed by all 3 parties (the student, the company s Human Resources Manager, and the Internship Coordinator at MODUL University 5. The completion of the internship is to be proven through a confirmation or reference letter issued by the organization where the student completes his or her internship. This confirmation has to contain information of the internship period as well as internship duties. The student also has to submit the Internship Appraisal Form filled out and 3

4 signed by his or her direct supervisor. In addition, the student must write a report on his or her internship. The guidelines for writing the internship report are mentioned on page 9 of this manual. These 3 documents have to be submitted to the Internship Coordinator one month after completion of the internship at the latest. 6. The documents are to be handed in to the Internship Coordinator at the MODUL Career Office. 7. Academic credits (8 ECTS) are earned through the completion of the internship as follows: After successfully completing the Internship Preparation Workshop, proven by the internship preparation certificate, completing 450 hours of internship, submitting the reference letter, the appraisal form and the internship report based on the guidelines stated on page 9 of this manual, the mandatory internship will be entered in the grade book as completed and the student will earn 8 ECTS points. The internship will only count as completed if the percentage on the appraisal form is 51% or above and the Internship Coordinator deems the internship report as appropriate. 8. MODUL University Vienna reserves the right to supervise the internship. 9. The internship must be completed in one part. The number of working hours has to be stated in the internship contract and the appraisal form. 10. The student can choose the appropriate time period to complete the internship. II. Optional internship / 450 Hours / 12 ECTS 1. In order to complete the study program, the student has a choice between writing a bachelor thesis, attending 3 enrichment courses or doing an additional internship for the duration of an extra 450 hours. The optional internship, which has to be scheduled after the mandatory internship, is worth 12 ECTS points and must be completed in the field of hospitality or tourism. This internship is designed to provide university students with the opportunity gain deeper insight into an organization and be involved in a project or analyze a specific side of the business. This internship may be combined with the mandatory internship, with that internship being extended to a total duration of 900 hours. The number of working hours has to be stated in the contract and the appraisal form with only one contract being submitted if the two internships are being combined. If you are unclear if an organization fulfills the requirements for an internship provider ask the Internship Coordinator at the MODUL Career Office. 4

5 2. The selection of the company requires the approval of MODUL University. This means that the Internship Contract Form signed by the student and the company has to be submitted to the Internship Coordinator at the MODUL Career Office PRIOR to starting the internship. The contract is only valid if it is signed by all 3 parties (the student, the Human Resources Manager, and the Internship Coordinator at MODUL Career). If the internship is performed in conjunction with the mandatory internship, a single form is sufficient. 3. In case a student does not hold an internship preparation certificate, he/she is required to attend the Internship Preparation Workshop if they choose to perform the optional internship. 4. The completion of the internship is to be proven through a confirmation or reference letter issued by the organization where the student completes his or her internship. The student also has to submit the appraisal form filled out and signed by his or her direct supervisor. If the optional internship is combined with the mandatory internship, one letter and appraisal form are sufficient. In addition, the student must choose a project to work on during the internship or one specific aspect or problem related to his/her internship (e-commerce, CRM, quality management, employee motivation, etc.) that must be approved by the Internship Coordinator at MODUL Career prior to starting the internship. For this purpose, the Internship Project Proposal Form must be filled out and signed by the internship supervisor at the company and the Internship Coordinator at MODUL Career. Supervisors of internships may help in the selection of a topic. The student must then write a detailed internship report as per the guidelines mentioned on page 9 of this manual as well as a separate report relating to their project as per the guidelines on page 10 of this manual. Both reports have to be submitted to the Internship Coordinator at the latest one month after completion of the internship. The project report needs to also be submitted to the internship supervisor at the company. 5. Academic credits (12 ECTS) are earned through the completion of the internship as follows: Submission of the internship preparation certificate, completing 450 hours of internship, submitting the reference letter, the Internship Appraisal Form and the 2 internship reports based on the guidelines stated on page 9 and 10 of this manual, the internship is marked as completed in the grade book, the student is granted 12 ECTS points. The internship will only count as completed if the percentage on the appraisal form is 51% or above and the Internship Coordinator deems the internship reports as appropriate. 6. MODUL University Vienna reserves the right to supervise the internship. 7. A student may decide the appropriate time to complete the optional internship. 5

6 USEFUL TIPS: LIABILITY 450 hours equate to about 3 months (12 weeks x 40 hours/week minus vacation days) and 900 hours equate to 6 months. Students are advised to start thinking about when and where they will do the internship during their first semester as this will affect other decisions, such as courses to register for, exchange semester, etc. Students are strongly advised to register for the Internship Preparation Workshop early on during their studies as this mandatory workshop has to be taken PRIOR to doing the internship. Registration can be performed on Moodle. If a student decides to opt for doing an additional 450 hours of internship, it is recommended that the mandatory and the optional internships are combined into one internship of a duration of 900 hours (6 months). The reason for that is that companies tend to offer much more interesting internships to students who are willing to remain with them for a 6 months period or longer. Examples of projects for the optional internship are: o Creating a new website for a company o Creating a new flyer or brochure o Setting up a social media campaign for a company o Working on a project on how to improve employee motivation o Participating in the project of implementing a balanced scorecard o Creating a new manual for a department o Participating in a project of launching a new F&B outlet o Redesigning certain processes and procedures University s responsibilities MODUL University Vienna does its very best to assist students in finding suitable internships within a safe working environment. The university arranges guest speakers, on-campus interviews and company presentations during the MODUL Career Fair that takes place each fall. The university also offers an Internship Preparation Workshop that will help students go through the application process. However, the university does not allocate students to particular internships. The Internship Coordinator will offer guidance and assistance but it remains the student s responsibility to find a suitable internship. 6

7 Employer responsibilities The organization shall treat the student as an employee on a short term contract in accordance with the organization s policies and the country s legislation. The student shall have the same level of liability and insurance coverage provided for all employees at that level. The employer is expected to provide a safe working environment in conformity with Health and Safety legislation. A full induction into the organization and its working practices should be offered to the new interns. The employer will put together a training plan for the period of the internship. The employer will also nominate a supervisor who will be responsible for conducting regular training and supervise the intern s work and give him/her advice and guidance. The employer may assist in finding suitable accommodation for the intern and assisting with travel as well as visa arrangements. The employer is expected to assume the selection of a suitable candidate, agree upon the conditions of employment and the level of remuneration to be awarded. In cases of breaches of the contract or misconduct of the student, the employer shall advise and consult with the Internship Coordinator at MODUL University Vienna. Student s responsibilities The student must not commence employment until the contract has been signed by the 3 parties (employer, student, MODUL University Vienna). The student shall abide by his/her internship contract and all company rules and policies such as working hours, confidentiality as well as health and safety procedures. The student must not work for another company while doing the internship unless written permission is granted by the company and the university Internship Coordinator. Any changes in the internship such as changes in the time period, employer, conditions, etc., shall be discussed with the Internship Coordinator before any decision is made. INTERNSHIP PREPARATION WORKSHOP This is a mandatory workshop which students have to attend PRIOR to doing an internship. This workshop must be completed and the completion certificate presented to the Internship Coordinator in order for an internship contract to be signed. The main goal of this workshop is to help BBA students prepare for the internship by providing resources, guidelines, and support to assist students in applying to companies of their choice in the industry. Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of this workshop, the students will be able to: - Establish a professional and personal goal for the internship experience - Understand MU s requirements in terms of the internship 7

8 - Understand the difference between the mandatory and the optional internship - Be clear on strategies and resources necessary to find an internship - Use the job platform on - Prepare a CV and a cover letter - Successfully prepare for an interview - Understand more about business etiquette and how to handle various interview questions including salary negotiation - Understand how the selection process works - Know how to act during the first days on the job - Select a topic for the internship report - Understand the guidelines for writing the internship report - Know which documents are necessary to get ECTS points for the internship Workshop contents: This workshop will help students learn about the different available options, where to look for an internship and how to prepare a professional CV and cover letter. In addition to covering the entire application process, the workshop will also focus on how to prepare for a job interview. Last but not least, the guidelines for writing the internship report will be discussed. The workshop includes group work, role plays and simulations. Detailed schedule: (1 unit = 2,5 hours) Unit Topic Assignments Unit 1 Planning for the application process Self analysis Defining your goals Market analysis Work permits Where to find internships The long distance internship search How to use The MODUL Career Fair Unit 2 Creating your CV Matching your CV to advert requirements The Application Game What makes a successful CV CV Layout and fundamentals Writing a motivation letter The KISS and the AIDA Formula Creative applications Complete the worksheets about professional, personal, social strengths and success stories Prepare a CV and a motivation letter 8

9 Unit 3 Unit 4 Checking participants CVs and motivation letters Types of interviews and how to prepare for them The most common interview questions Business etiquette Dress for success! Dos and Don ts in the interview The attributes of a high performing employee Energizing your success stories Negotiating Evaluating job offers Accepting and declining offers Interview role plays First days on the job Mandatory Internship vs. Optional Internship Selecting a special project for the optional internship Guidelines for writing the internship report and the internship project report Practical Information about the administrative process Prepare yourself for an interview Teaching Approach: A mixture of lectures, in class discussions, case studies and critical questions of the material covered, role plays as well as group work. For this workshop attendance is mandatory. Students have to register for this workshop on Moodle, which consists out of 4 units. Dates and times can be found on Moodle. INTERNSHIP REPORT Internship Report Mandatory Internship (8 ECTS) The internship report shall consist of 4 to 6 pages including the following sections: a. A summary of the organization s activities This section provides an insight into the current business environment in which the company is operating. It also includes the company s profile (history and key facts), its major operations (innovation, technology, and environmental issues), its corporate strategies (marketing) and some financial figures (as per the company s annual report) 9

10 b. A report of the student s activities during the internship Here the student explains what her/his duties and tasks were during the internship, and she/he also critically assesses the inter-relationship and effectiveness of his work within the company. c. A personal evaluation of the internship This section reflects the student s personal analysis and evaluation of the whole internship experience. It includes the student s expectations prior to the commencement of the internship as well as an evaluation of the skills, competencies, training, problem resolution, objectives, strengths and weaknesses experiences through the placement. d. Conclusions and Recommendations This section should include any concluding remarks that a student may have regarding their internship experience. It should also include recommendations regarding what could have improved their internship, what worked well in their internship, and if they would recommend interning at the same place to other students. Note: use Times New Roman, font 12 and 1,5 line spacing) Internship Project Report Optional internship (12 ECTS) The student will choose a subject or a specific aspect or problem related to his/her internship (e-commerce, CRM, quality management, employee motivation, etc.) Company supervisors may help in the selection of a topic and assist the student during the internship. The student has to write a detailed internship project report (15-20 pages submitted bound in a ring binder) which should be structured as follows: a. Preliminaries i. Title Page ii. Acknowledgement and Endorsement iii. Executive Summary iv. Table of Contents b. Main Text i. Introduction (Explanation of the project, topic, why the project is being undertaken, why the project topic was chosen and how it is pertinent) ii. Body (methods used in execution of project, any existing research in a similar area, how the project was executed, findings of the project) iii. Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations (What the findings indicate, how the findings can be put into practice, and how best they can be put into practice) c. Reference Material i. References ii. Glossary iii. Appendices Note: use Times New Roman, font 12 and 1,5 line spacing) 10

11 ASSESSMENT The student will be assessed in the company via an Internship Appraisal Form by his/her supervisor and will be given a final evaluation based upon the trainee attendance, skills and attitudes as well as his/her achievements. In addition, an internship report written by the student shall be submitted to the Internship Coordinator and the company supervisor within one month after completion of the internship. The report will be assessed by the Internship Coordinator. The internship will only count as completed if the percentage on the appraisal form is 51% or higher and the Internship Coordinator deems the internship reports as appropriate. In case the score on the Appraisal Form is 50% or below, no ECTS points will be granted and the student will have to do another internship. In case the internship report or the internship project report is not satisfactory, the student will be asked to re-write and resubmit it. 14 EASY STEPS TO COMPLETE YOUR INTERNSHIP Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Register for the Internship Preparation Workshop Decide whether you want to only do the mandatory internship or whether you also want to do the optional internship Decide on a time period for the internship and plan your studies accordingly Decide which type of organization interests you (hotel, airline, tour operator, tourist board, event management company, consulting company, etc.) and where you want to be geographically (Inform yourself of visa and work permit regulations, assistance can be given at the MODUL Career Office). Start applying for an internship 6 months prior to the start date using the CV and cover letter that you prepared during the Internship Preparation Workshop and the resources offered on Prepare for the interview and wait to hear back from the company Once you get accepted, get approval from the internship coordinator and then provide the partner organization with the Internship Contract signed by yourself Submit the Internship Contract signed by yourself and the company s Human Resources Manager to the Internship Coordinator at the MODUL Career Office together with your Internship Preparation Workshop completion certificate Once you receive the Internship Contract back and it has been signed by the Internship Coordinator, you can start your internship 11

12 Step 10 Step 11 Step 12 Step 13 Step 14 Once you have completed your internship, ask your company supervisor to fill out the Internship Appraisal Form including the number of hours worked Ask the company for a reference letter confirming your employment, the tasks you fulfilled Write an Internship Report (in the case of an optional internship, also write a Project Report) based on the guidelines mentioned in the internship manual Submit your Internship Report(s), Internship Appraisal Form and reference letter to the Internship Coordinator one month after finishing your internship at the latest Your internship will be assessed within one month after submission. The ECTS points will be entered in the grade book as soon as all documents have been submitted and acknowledged by the Internship Coordinator. TRANSFERRING CREDITS FOR INTERNSHIPS Some BBA students come to MU having already attended a tourism/hospitality high school, a tourism/hospitality/business university, or having already completed a tourism/hospitality internship of at least 450 hours. Such students might qualify to have their internship transferred to their curriculum at MODUL University Vienna. To have an internship transferred for credit, it is important that eligible students apply by pre-determined deadlines to allow enough time for the administration involved. The deadlines can be found under Once an application and corresponding documents have been submitted, the Internship Coordinator of the BBA program will decide if the internship can be transferred. 1. The Internship Coordinator decides upon the credit transfer of practical work which was completed prior to the beginning the study program and which is relevant for the subject matter. With a positive decision, the completion of the mandatory internship is waived. 2. Credits can be transferred towards the mandatory internship but not towards the optional one. 3. A maximum of 8 ECTS points can be transferred. 4. The student must have completed 450 working hours of full time employment. 5. The work must be relevant to the study program (i.e. tourism or hospitality related). 6. The internship has to be completed prior to commencement of the BBA program. 12

13 7. The student must submit the following documents prior to the commencement of the study program: a. The credit transfer application form b. A reference letter from the employer confirming where the student worked, his/her duties and the period of work c. An internship report based on the guidelines stated in the internship manual Further information as well as the Credit Transfer Application Form can be found under The following resources are available to you: - Information about the internship requirements can be found on the BBA intranet and in the internship manual - Job offers and partner companies can be found under forms can be downloaded from the BBA intranet CONTACT If you have questions, please visit the Modul Career Office during opening hours or by appointment. Hani El Sharkawi, BSc, MA Department Head MODUL Career hani.elsharkawi@modul.ac.at T: +43 (1) F: +43 (1) or Katrin Meilke, BBA MODUL Career Officer MODUL Career Katrin.meilke@modul.ac.at T: +43 (1) F: +43 (1) Room 1.10 MODUL University Vienna Am Kahlenberg 1, 1190 Wien, Austria 13