The IFT Graduation Ceremony 2016 was an exciting day for the 391 new graduates of the Institute. The ceremony, held on 7 October, was, after all, the start of a new journey for the graduates, either in the labour force or in further studies. Bachelor degrees were awarded to 355 graduating students and diplomas were awarded to another 36.
Macao SAR Chief Executive Dr. Chui Sai On presided at the graduation ceremony. Dr. Chui said he hoped the new batch of graduates would “soon become part of the Macao tourism industry elite, contributing to the sector’s sustainable development”. He said the Government had been “active in launching several innovative tourism events and projects”. Those events and projects would require the “active participation and contribution of our young people”, he said.
IFT President Dr. Fanny Vong congratulated the new graduates on their achievements and wished them success in their careers. “I would like to encourage all the new graduates present here to follow in the days to come the example of our alumni, strengthening the spirit of unity and innovation that characterises students from our Institute, and serving society with care and enthusiasm,” Dr. Vong told the gathering.
Addressing the graduating students in particular, she said: “The academic qualifications and results obtained at our Institute now represent the achievements of the immediate past. Looking ahead, you have to create your own bright future, highlighted by a professional attitude and positive and active thinking, in order to contribute to our society’s development.”
Hands-on learning
The new graduates express excitement about their futures and satisfaction with what they have learned at the Institute in the past 4 years.
One new holder of a bachelor degree in Culinary Arts Management, Teddy Hong, says the Institute’s extensive educational resources and its close ties with other institutions of higher education around the globe help its students progress rapidly. “IFT is a school with a lot of hands-on learning,” Teddy says.
He says he enjoyed the environment at the Institute: “Here there are teachers from all over the world who can help us progress fast in our language skills and expertise.”
Many of the new graduates consider their internships to be a highlight of their time at the Institute. IFT students taking programmes leading to bachelor degrees are required to do a 6-month internship in Year 3 of their studies. Among institutions of higher education in Macao, IFT is unique in having this requirement. Students can opt to do their internships in Macao or abroad. IFT has links with more than 500 enterprises around the world that will take in IFT students as interns.
A newly minted graduate in Hotel Management, Hannes Ying, says: “The good thing about IFT is that there are plenty of internship opportunities that help you gain the expertise needed for your bachelor degree. The experience you get from these makes you stand out, compared with graduates from other institutions,” he says. Hannes is now working at the Wynn Palace integrated resort in Cotai.
Knowledge and confidence
A new graduate in Tourism Event Management, Royla Ao, says IFT gives opportunities to learn hands-on how to plan and hold special events. Some courses require students to put on an event, under the supervision of a lecturer. Royla expects her experience of putting on these events to be useful in her career.
The latest batch of graduates appreciate more than just the internships and exchanges they did while at the Institute. A new holder of a bachelor degree in Tourism Retail and Marketing Management, Joanne Liu, says: “The most precious thing I learned was to have a serious attitude to work.” She also likes the emphasis the Institute puts on quality of service. A beauty clinic now employs Joanne as a consultant.
Heritage Management graduate Anita Tai’s learning at IFT was enriched by the extracurricular activities. Anita feels that extracurricular activities helped build up her confidence. “At IFT the most important things I learned were related to leadership, whether in working on group projects or in my experience of belonging to the Student Union for 3 years,” she says. “The Institute really encourages students to join in various kinds of extracurricular activities.” Anita now works at the Cultural Affairs Bureau and is pursuing a master degree related to public administration at the University of Macau.
