Edge Foundation Ambassador – Edge Hotel School

Name: Vivien Schaper

Hometown: Lincoln

Place of work: Wivenhoe House Hotel

Job title: Trainee Manager/Student Practitioner

Qualifications: BA Hons in Hotel Management, Edge Hotel School – completing 20164 A-levels, Priory Academy LSST and Fort Pitt Grammar School for Girls15 GCSEs, Fort Pitt Grammar School for Girls

Vivien’s story

When Vivien found the Edge Hotel School she was stunned. It had exactly what she was looking for -a Hotel linked to a University in which she could learn about all departments academically and practically. The course duration of two years was the icing on the cake for Vivien, not only due to the large financial saving compared to a three year degree but because it would allow her to catch up to her year group, making up for the year she lost when she moved schools.

After visiting the Edge Hotel School on one of their open days, Vivien’s mind was made up and she applied immediately. Vivien was awarded the Savoy Educational Trust Scholarship to help fund her studies and this has allowed her to secure additional work experience at Exclusives Hotel’s Pennyhill Park Hotel in May 2015.

So far she has loved every minute of her degree. She finds her work in the hotel exciting as no shift is ever the same. The course itself has given her the opportunity to meet lots of people in the industry and she’s been able to supplement her learning by attending conferences and events. She has discovered a particular interest in marketing and has even set up an Instagram account for the course, giving people an insight into the life of an Edge Hotel School student. She has also perfected her time management skills, quickly learning to juggle shifts in the hotel, assignments, deadlines and extracurricular activities.

As the course involves a period of time in each department of the hotel Vivien feels well prepared for the world of work. But there is one thing in particular that she believes sets the Edge Hotel School apart from other degrees; the human side of hotel life, the side that cannot be taught in a lecture hall.

She says: “Every guest is different and working in the Hotel, we learn how to read and assess situations to make sure that we create the best experience for them by making sure our guests are always treated with the greatest respect and care.”

At the moment, Vivien’s ambition is to become a manager of a four or five-star Hotel, specialising in marketing. She is also keen to travel and explore other parts of the world and after moving from Germany to England as a child, she is not daunted by the prospect of working abroad if it’s the right step for her career.