Lauren Hannani culture editor
The Career Center hosted its first Career Exploration Day last Monday, April 2, for students of all grades to learn more about a career of their interest through touring its workplace. The event, which will continue throughout April and May, features eight different businesses and careers, from hotel management to the Spanish consulate.
A total of 25 students participated in the event on April 2, which allowed them to become more familiar with careers in fashion, journalism, talent consultancy, arts and entertainment, sports, or hotel management. Students interested in the latter visited some of the most luxurious hotels in Beverly Hills, including the Waldorf Astoria, the Beverly Wilshire and the Beverly Hilton.
“It was a really amazing experience,” senior Noah Danesh, who visited the Beverly Wilshire, said. “We began in one of the conference rooms and had presentations by employees from all the different departments, including speeches from restaurant managers and sales directors. We then got to tour the hotel, visiting the industrial kitchen, Governor’s suite and pool area.”
As a result of the private tours, Danesh says he was able to notice and appreciate the great amount of work and responsibility the employees have while running the hotel.
“I saw so many things that happen behind the scenes that are important to the functioning of the hotel,” he said. “I took away a new perspective on how businesses in our community work to be successful.”
Freshman Nicole Boudaie, who also visited the Beverly Wilshire to learn about careers in hospitality, felt motivated by the optimism and dedication the employees had toward their jobs.
“I was really impressed because they seemed really nice and happy with their jobs,” Boudaie said. “It really showed how much they care about their guests and that they would take the extra time to go an extra mile.”
Danesh’s favorite part of the event was meeting the many employees of the hotel and being able to see what their job consists of in greater detail.
“I definitely was able to learn so much more by being there by seeing the whole operation close- up,” he said. “It also gave me the opportunity to ask more specific questions, as I was able to see what they do.”
Students who visited the Waldorf Hotel, such as senior Sam Hannani, were able to meet employees from different parts of the hotel, such as the executive chef of the restaurant, assistant director of the front office and the assistant special events manager.
“It helped give me more of a sense of what positions are available in a hospitality business,” Hannani said. “I feel like I have a better understanding now of what type of job I would work in if I were to pursue a job in hospitality.”
Hannani learned about the different ways through which employees can contribute to the hotel.
“The assistant director of the front office mentioned how they have people rotate positions every day, so one day they could be working at the check-in counter and another day be answering phone calls,” Hannani said.
Overall, Boudaie is looking forward to participating in Career Exploration Day again if the program continues next year.
“I definitely would do it again,” she said. “It was interesting and fun to just shadow people, and I felt really mature and professional walking into a conference room and then sitting down at their table as each person came up and talked to us. It was a great experience.”