Shannon Hotel College boasts 100% employment record

All 62 students who graduated from the Shannon Hotel College of Management yesterday secured jobs before sitting their final exams.

The College has a 100% employment record. One of its former students, Gerald Lawless is one of the world’s leading hoteliers, heading up the Dubai-based Jumeirah group.

The college is owned by the Dublin Airport Authority and speaking at the graduation, the acting director of Shannon Airport, Niall MacCarthy, said “the college is a wonderful success story”.

At the ceremony, Mr Lawless told graduates: “It is sad if you have to emigrate, but by and large a lot of the people will benefit ultimately, but it would be nice to have a choice”.

Mr Lawless emigrated in the 1970s and said: “It has only been to my benefit and I recommend to the students to get out there and see the world.”

College director Philip Smyth said the Irish hospitality industry is recovering its ability to charm international tourists.

“Unfortunately, during the Celtic Tiger era, we seemed to lose much of the natural charm that endeared Ireland so much to international visitors. Whether it was because we felt we didn’t need to deliver the same welcome we were renowned for, or we were just too busy to, we just lost some of that unique sense of Irish hospitality, but I’m happy to say we are regaining it.

“In its simplest terms, international visitors come here to see and experience Ireland, not Europe, not somewhere else.

“In Germany you get German culture, in France, the French culture, etc. In Ireland you should get the Irish culture and luckily for us, there is hardly a better culture in the world and it’s often what specifically brings people to Ireland. And if it’s what works for us, we should serve it up on a plate,” he said.

Of the 62 students graduating at the college, 25 are from abroad. Mr Smyth told those in attendance, Ireland must capitalise on the real growth potential of international education in the years ahead to help make up the shortfall elsewhere in education funding.