THE Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has inked a partnership with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) to provide students real-world experience in the luxury hospitality industry through internship programs in Hong Kong and Makati City.
Under this mutual pursuit, the globally acclaimed brand, which operates prestigious hotels, resorts, and residences, will offer interns from the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management at least 600 hours of practical training. This strategic collaboration, aimed at strengthening students’ career readiness, was formalized through a ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement between the hotel and the college.
Mandarin Oriental officials Laura Wilson, Zufar Khabibullin, and Franck Droin stood for the hotel group, while Chancellor Benhur Ong, SHRIM Dean Dr. Marie Paz Castro, and Center for External Linkages Director Sherlo Reyes represented Benilde.
The internship program may be completed in a flexible face-to-face or hybrid mode. It seeks to equip student trainees with relevant exposure in physical and virtual work sites and to enhance their employability upon graduation. They will be immersed in a professional work environment and have the opportunity to hone their skills by applying theories to real-life workplace situations.
Industry practitioners from the multinational hospitality and management group will evaluate their performance.
The student interns will likewise receive assistance for their visa application and processing, support upon arrival, insurance for the duration of the internship, meals while on duty, leave, and a monthly stipend of HK$7,500.