We interviewed Ester Tueros of the International Master in Tourism & Hospitality Management class of 2019, to find out about her experience at EADA and the Management Development Graduate Program that she will start in Hilton Hotels in London.
Ester did her bachelor in Kiev (Ukraine) and has experience in hotels in Ukraine and Brazil. In September of 2018, she moved to Barcelona to study at EADA – this was her first experience living abroad for a significant period of time. She describes her experience at EADA in Barcelona as “a complete change in my life”.
What aspects of the Tourism & Hospitality programme would you highlight?
For me, the learning by doing methodology was a definite highlight. EADA uses a hands-on approach in all classes, incorporating case studies from Harvard Business School, group projects and oral presentations. The methodology was practical, and put us in the shoes of managers who need to take a decision. The content of the courses is also very connected to real life, so I learnt how to apply all the knowledge to real situations.
Another highlight is the diversity in class: there were 16 nationalities in my class of 26 students. It was very interesting to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds; I learnt a lot from the people I worked with!
During the 4 modules of the Leadership Development Programme, I learnt how to work efficiently in teams, speak in public, give feedbacks and many other soft skills.
What were your most memorable experiences at EADA?
My most memorable experience was undoubtedly the Leadership Development Programme, which took place in EADA’s Residential Training Campus. During the 4 modules of the programme, I learnt how to work efficiently in teams, speak in public, give feedbacks and many other soft skills. I will never forget one of the outdoor activities we did at the Campus: I had to fight my fear of heights for one of the activities – I was terrified and I am very proud to have done it!
The International Business Trip to Greece was also unforgettable – for 5 days, we visited leaders in the industry including the luxury resort Westin Resort, Costa Navarino.
I definitely feel the knowledge and skills I learnt during the master have prepared me for my current opportunity in the Management Development Graduate Program at Hilton in London.
How did you apply to the Hilton Graduate Programme?
Since the first time I heard about graduate management programmes, I was very interested in participating in one – specifically, I wanted to work in an international hotel. The Career Service provided me with the list of available graduate programmes for next year and the Career Advisor assisted me with some details and questions about the programmes.
The Hilton Programme offered one of the most interesting opportunities, so I applied on their website as soon as the hiring process started. It started with online tests about your management style, aptitude tests, video interviews and finally an assessment centre in Brighton, U.K. with face-to-face interviews and group assignments where our competencies and skills were demonstrated.
I definitely feel the knowledge and skills I learnt during the master have prepared me for my current opportunity in the Graduate Management Program at Hilton in London.
What will your position at Hilton be? In which department will you work?
The Graduate Programme will last 18 months in total starting on September 2019 and I will be working in two different hotels – 9 months in each. I will rotate among all of the operations departments: Front Office, Guest experience, F&B, Events, Housekeeping and others (2-3 months in each department).
Be ready to step out of your comfort zone and see every challenge as an opportunity for growth
What advice would you give to future students of the programme?
It is important to remember that the programme is broadly focused on various aspects of the hospitality industry, which gives you a much more global vision than just hotels. You should expect to work in a very diverse environment, so be ready to step out of your comfort zone and see every challenge as an opportunity for growth.