Exclusive Industry Visit: Paris Students Gain Insider Insights at Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel
On Wednesday, 19 February, the Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI), in collaboration with PPA Paris, organised a company visit to the Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Centre for students.
Fifteen students from the MA Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management (UCA) → RNCP Titre L7 (PPA) and Global MBA (UCA) → RNCP Titre L7 (PPA) programmes attended the visit, accompanied by Dr Ibrahim Baghdadi, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Fatou Barry, Career Advisor, and Vibin Balachandran, Student Welfare Assistant.
The students and staff were warmly welcomed by Sophia Ben Mallek, Responsable Recrutement et Formation, and Charlotte Guillot, Chargée des Ressources Humaines, from the Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Centre team. They provided an extensive tour of the venue, offering a behind-the-scenes look at key hotel operations, including guest rooms, services, the kitchen and back-office functions.
Following the tour, Sophia and Charlotte shared valuable insights into the hotel’s operations, key responsibilities, job roles and career opportunities within Marriott. Students also had the opportunity to ask questions and gain clarity on operational aspects and career prospects in the hospitality industry.
The visit concluded with refreshments, allowing students to reflect on their experience in a relaxed setting.
After the visit, students shared their thoughts:
- Gowtham Sekar: “It was a good learning experience. We got to see how things work in a big hotel and learned many new things. Thank you to the hotel team and my institution BSBI/PPA for this opportunity.”
- Emefa Adordie: “I am truly grateful for the insights and expertise shared – it made the experience truly enriching. And to our amazing Career Advisor, Fatou Barry, and Vice Dean, Dr Ibrahim Baghdadi, thank you so much for this opportunity.”
- Mahrukh Zulfiqar: “It was a great opportunity to learn from professionals and gain valuable career insights. A big shoutout and thanks to our career advisor Fatou Barry and the entire team, Patricia Berth, Campus Director and Dean of International Programs and Owen Dedenys, Student Services Manager, for organising such a meaningful experience. Also, thanks to the Marriott team for their warm hospitality and excellent service – they truly made us feel welcomed. I look forward to more enriching experiences like this and am excited to apply these learnings and connect further!”
Fatou Barry, Career Advisor, also reflected on the visit:
“As the Career Advisor at BSBI/PPA Paris campus, I had the pleasure of accompanying a group of students on a visit to the Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel, just around the corner from our Paris campus. I was joined by Dr Ibrahim Baghdadi, our Vice Dean, and Vibin Balachandran, our Student Welfare Assistant, who captured amazing photos and videos of this great afternoon.
A huge thank you to the incredible team at the Paris Marriott Rive Gauche Hotel & Conference Centre for their warm hospitality – you truly made us feel like royalty! Well done to our students who signed up early to attend this exclusive event. It was wonderful to see so many happy faces during and after the tour. I look forward to organising more exciting career events in the future.”
The visit reinforced BSBI’s commitment to equipping students with the skills and confidence necessary for the job market. By offering practical training and expert guidance, the Career Services team plays a vital role in supporting students’ professional development.
Following the success of this visit, our Paris campus is set to host various workshops and events to further enhance students’ employability skills. Contact the Career Services team for more information about upcoming career workshops and events.
