1. Cosmina Flucus - My Placement Experience - Hotel Arts Barcelona
Should you do it?
If you are in doubt as to whether undertake a placement as part of your degree, I would only have one answer
for you: just go for it! I can guarantee you it will be one of the most enriching experiences you will ever have.
Not only you will have the opportunity to get a real life insight into what your industry is all about, but you will
also create memories that will stay with you for a lifetime.
Where to go?
You will have plenty of opportunities to choose from. RGU is
extremely focused on assisting students in securing their
placements as this is a valuable experience that can help you
shape your career. I decided to secure my own placement and
therefore I ended up in one of my favourite cities, Barcelona. I
would recommend you to choose wisely not only in terms of the
working experience itself, but also its location as you will be
spending one of the best six months/one year of your life. I chose
to go for a six months placement in Sales in Hotel Arts Barcelona.
A bit about my job…
You might feel discouraged in terms of what job would actually suit you and trust
me, I did too! I had no experience in Sales whatsoever; and here was I working as
a Sales Assistant for six months at the end of which I knew that hospitality is the
career path I want to keep following. Working for a busy upscale hotel, I was
faced with a lot of responsibility from day one and though it seemed overwhelming
at first, it helped me develop both as a person and as a professional. Once you get
a good grip of what you are supposed to do, you will be the one asking for more
responsibility as it will give you a sense of self-achievement that cannot really be
compared with anything else you have experienced so far. Eventually, I was
offered the possibility of returning once I graduate. My point is, you never know
what something as simple as a placement can bring you and before you realise it, it might actually change your
perspectives completely.
But it’s more than the job
Of course, the job was fun, the working environment likewise and I have gained an extensive knowledge of my
field in only six months. However it’s more to it than that. Imagine that at the end of my working day I could
just go for a stroll on the beach which was about two minutes walking distance from my workplace. Not to
mention the beautiful sights of Barcelona for which six months were not sufficient to cover them all or the
nightlife which as a student we all know is quite important. Wherever you decide to go, you’ll find a balance
between your working and social life that will make your time spend on placement fly by. I don’t know where
my months went and I would go back in an instant if I could.
I think placement is one of the most valuable opportunities offered by RGU and everyone
should take up on it. It would be a pity not to because it is so different from the university
life and it will help you grow in so many ways. Just do it, you have nothing to lose, only to
gain! 
Cosmina Flucus – 4th
Stage Undergraduate International Tourism Management Student