A 30-year-old relationship between the Durban University of Technology’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Department and Walt Disney World in Florida, will again in 2017 see four DUT students jetting off to America for Work- Integrated Learning (WIL).
The four students from Hospitality and Catering Management are Nosihle Zondo, Sihle Mnyandu, Nkosikhona Ntanzi and Kwanele Makhaye. All four students graduated at DUT during the 2017 Autumn graduation and are currently employed. Zondo and Mnyandu will showcase their hospitality management skills, while Nkosikhona and Kwanele will showcase their culinary and catering knowledge.
DUT has been in a relationship with Walt Disney-World since 1987. According to Jaya Naidoo (WIL practitioner and mentor), the recruitment team from Walt Disney World does an annual visit in October to conduct roadshows, presentations, pre-screening of students and interviews.
“It is commendable to note that our students are a preferred choice and every year a minimum of four students are selected. Although the contracts are for a year, an extended three months are afforded to excelling students. I have no doubt that this will apply to the above students,” said Naidoo.
Ntanzi said this opportunity was a great booster for his career and he was extremely grateful. “This chance that has been offered to me is a symbol of my current successes and those that are ahead of me. Although I will not see my grandmother for a while, we both are happy with this achievement,” he said.
As for Zondo, she cannot wait to show off her creativity in the food and beverage sector in Florida. “I am looking forward to sharing what I have learnt at DUT with the Americans, but what excites me the most is that I will be learning as much as they will be learning from me,” she said.
Meanwhile, Makhaye is fascinated by skills he will gain in Walt Disney-World. “The world must be explored, therefore we need not hold back gaining as much from the opportunities at our disposal. I have always grabbed any prospects that were exposed me to in learning and practising what I have learnt.”
Ecstatic to be the first in his family to travel out of South Africa, Mnyandu said this achievement was not only for his family but for his entire community-based in rural Port Shepstone at KwaMadlala section. “It is very rare for anyone from a rural area to travel the world, this is a milestone not just for my family but also the place I come from,” he said.
The programme stipulates that once the students have completed their internship, they must return to South Africa to empower and give back to their communities and mandatory for them to belong to The Disney Alumni Association. According to the department, DUT students with Disney work experience are in high demand within the South African hospitality, travel and tourism Industry.
All students extended their gratitude to their mentor Jaya Naidoo whom they describe as a role model and disciplinarian. Naidoo took this opportunity in thanking The head of the department, Dr Erasmus Mnguni, and all staff for their involvement in paving a successful career path for students.
Pictured: Dr Erasmus Mnguni (Hospitality and Catering Management Head of Department), Sihle Mnyandu, Nosihle Zondo, Nkosikhona Ntanzi, Kwanele Makhaye and Jaya Naidoo (Hospitality and Catering Management WIL Practitioner and Mentor).
Noxolo Memela
