Participant Stories
Kenneth Ooi
AIPT Exchange Explorer Makes It Easier to Find Your Next Stop on Your Career's Journey
From Spring 2007
When you enter Le Pavillon Hotel in the French Quarter of New Orleans, you may feel as though you’ve entered 19th century France. Surrounded by ornate antiques, you may even feel a bit like royalty. Frommer’s, Travel and Leisure, and Southern Living applaud the century-old hotel’s beauty, travelers continually applaud its accommodating and caring staff, and one AIPT program participant applauds the hotel’s ability to provide him with a valuable experience to add to his career’s journey.
Kenneth Ooi began his career in hospitality in Malaysia by successfully completing a hospitality apprenticeship and working at The Ritz Carlton in Kuala Lumpur as a Guest Service Assistant. He then went onto receive a BA in hospitality management from the University of Portsmouth in England where he also worked as a Food and Beverage Placement Trainee at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. His career took him back to Malaysia where he served as a Sales Coordinator at the Tanjung Rhu Resort and then as a Guest Relations Officer at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur.
With jobs at the finest resorts and hotels in the industry, it seemed Ooi was on a steady career path. But Ooi wanted to learn more about the food and beverage division and he wanted to, as he stated in his application letter, “gain a better understanding of the American hotel business techniques and practices which I strongly believe will benefit to my future career in the hotel industry.”
This dedication to career is something all AIPT program participants share. Taking a position in a new country with few contacts is a daunting idea. Those who actually take this step to improve their career options are often enthusiastic learners devoted to bettering themselves and seeking growth in their fields.
Ooi took a fairly unique step to find his U.S. training position thanks to AIPT’s Global Partner in Malaysia, MACEE: he registered with AIPT Exchange Explorer. AIPT Exchange Explorer connects international students and professionals with training opportunities in the United States. Businesses and organizations post positions on the site and are able to search through the CVs of international students and professionals who have posted their information to the site. An AIPT Program Specialist helps both the international applicant and the host employer through the process of finding each other and the paperwork that follows.
Ooi found opportunities right away. “I [had] a few choices at that time and the initial interview [with Le Pavillon Hotel] was carrying on within a week once I submit my CV/resume,” said Ooi.
While the search is not necessarily always that quickly settled, the online database has seen success in its inaugural year placing more than 20 trainees with 15 host employers.
Ooi has hopes of becoming a manager in a hotel in Malaysia, or another destination, when he completes this training. For now Ooi says,
"My position is reporting to the Food and Beverage Director. I have the great opportunity to train from the operational level as a busser/waiter to the supervisory level as a supervisor/manager in all food and beverage outlets (room service, restaurant, banquet and lounge). The training is very hands-on practice in real world and the skills will definitely benefit me in pursuing F&B positions in my future hotel career. Besides, I have so many options and am confident to be a restaurant manager, lounge manager, room service manager, or banquet manager when I finished my program."
