Case study(2400 words)

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Assessment-4CaseStudy.docx

Sunny’s Placement Experience

Sunny is an international student from China studying for a degree in Hospitality Management in Australia. He is bright, intelligent, and good at speaking English. He secured good grades in the first two years of his course and was expecting to complete his degree in the coming year. Although he had experienced some cultural shock when he first arrived in Australia, now he is settled in well and made some good friends in his college. He is eager to embark on a career to learn more about the hospitality industry in Australia.

After the second year of his course, Sunny applied for a placement opportunity in a four-star hotel in a famous and popular tourist destination near Sydney CBD. He was interviewed for the position, and a position on the placement programme was offered to him for a year which he was delighted to accept. The position was designed to provide him with a vast experience in various departments. As he already had some experience of the industry back in China, he had a good idea of the nature of work in the hospitality industry.

Sunny’s workplace was a long way from home, so he needed staff accommodation which was provided in a staff house a few minutes away from the hotel. He started living in the staff house with other hotel staff members which was a little basic, but he soon made it feel like home. Sunny was the only employee on the placement programme who is still pursuing his education; hence he was the youngest of all. Also, he had some previous experience in the hospitality industry, but it was from overseas. He started his placement by working in the housekeeping department. The work was very physical, as it included cleaning rooms, making beds and cleaning bathrooms, but he appreciated this was all part of a learning process. He worked alone as a room keeper, again recognising this as a standard practice.

Although Sunny has settled well in his new placement, he is having some issues while interacting with his colleagues. Majority of the staff members are from an Eastern European country and speak very little English. They have formed a large group, and all sit together at coffee breaks. Sunny has to sit alone by himself during the breaks at work and also when he is at the accommodation. This is making him lonely and taking a toll on his mental and physical health.

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Over the last weekend, Sunny was asked by his colleagues if he would like to go to the nearby pub with a few local staff members. He does not like to drink alcohol as he wants to save money for his final year of study. He is also anxious about visiting pubs as his parents warned him about drinking habits Also, Sunny wanted to save his money to take the pressure off his parents who were supporting him through his degree. He preferred to stay in his room rather than spend money on socialising and apologised to his colleagues.

All this has made Sunny feel desperately homesick. In his days off, he occasionally goes down to the Sydney CBD, where he visits his friends from his home country. Although he is trying hard to manage, he is becoming extremely unhappy and disturbed that he wants to leave his placement and, if necessary, change his course as well. But he does not want to let his parents down and bring shame to his family.

Somehow, Sunny managed to complete his tenure in the housekeeping department and has moved to the restaurant. Here he is working with staff who can speak English well. He is also working in the evenings, which is making him feel less lonely. At last, he has started to enjoy his placement experience.