Born in India and a permanent resident of Hong Kong, Ms Archana Acherekar was a flight attendant for Cathay Pacific Airlines for nine years before she decided on a change of career.

Archana considered her higher education options carefully.“I researched every hotel in the Asia-Pacific region and 90% of the HR managers gave me the name of the Blue Mountains Hotel School,” says Archana who enrolled at the Blue Mountains Hotel School in 1999.

Archana did her two paid industrial placements at The Observatory Hotel in Sydney and the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne. At the Grand Hyatt, she volunteered to rewrite the training manual for the Night Audit staff and is proud of that fact that her manual is still in use.

At the end of 2001, Archana’s hard work as a student earned her Dux of the Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management course.

“The learning on campus was not 9 to 5”says Archana,“It’s a 24 hour learning venue.And the training facilities are fantastic. They really prepare you well for what you are getting into.”

In June 2002 she graduated from the School with a Bachelor of Arts (International Hospitality and Tourism Management) conferred from Bournemouth University, UK. She was one of the School’s last group of Bournemouth BA graduates.The School now offers the Bachelor of Commerce Arts (Hospitality and Tourism Management) from the University of New England in Australia.

Within weeks of graduation,Archana started as Guest Services Manager with the five star Observatory Hotel and is settling in well to her new role.

“They are sponsoring my visa for a year and half,“ says Archana,“Having worked here on my first year placement I know the property well and they know me well. The transition has been easy.”