Hi! My name is Madison and I’m a current student at ICE. Read my story below and follow my posts on the ICE blog to learn why I’m passionate about a future in hospitality and what it’s like to study at ICE.
I vividly remember June 21, 2013—my first day as an employee at Subway. I began working there just days before I graduated from the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan, with a college acceptance letter in hand. Yet when classes started in August, I found that I preferred to work whenever possible, putting school second; so while I gained a ton of work experience, unsurprisingly, my grades suffered.
Once the semester was over, I made a decision not to return to school, working as much as possible until I found a new alternative. It wasn’t easy at first. Months went by where I worked five to seven days a week. Time was passing, all my friends were away at school, and there I was, stuck at work.
But over time, my job taught me something about myself: I took pride in serving as the shift manager, in taking on the responsibility of opening and closing the store. Eager to explore these newfound professional interests, I began to search online for a school that would boost my knowledge of management and service. Nothing caught my eye…until I came across ICE.
Even before my time at Subway, I was no stranger to the hospitality industry. My father is a chef and my mother worked in restaurants for 15 years. At first, I wondered if enrolling in ICE’s Culinary Management program would be a better fit instead of the Hospitality Management track.
However, my final decision became clear when I sat in on a hospitality class called “Managing Back of the House Operations.” Not only did this topic match my interests, but the instructor and students also made me feel welcome. Just a few months later, in September, I attended my first day of class as a proud Hospitality Management student.
By enrolling in ICE’s program, I hope to gain a wealth of knowledge that will complement and develop my personal interest in the hospitality business. Since it is one of the world’s most competitive job markets, my goal is to learn what sets me apart from my peers and use that to my advantage. In other words, I want to learn to “brand myself” (a term I learned in a recent Human Resources class).
The course has really peaked my interest—going into detail about best practices for hiring, firing and training of staff, as well as union laws and all of the legalities of the hospitality industry. After just a few months in the program, I can already say with confidence that it has been a great experience overall and I’m excited to see what’s in store for the months to come.
Click here to learn more about careers in culinary and hospitality management.