Paul Sadler, general manager of Calcot Manor in Gloucestershire, says taking part in the Master Innholders Scholarship Programme provides an exceptional personal development opportunity.
The Master Innholders Scholarship Programme is an imposing title but to the 130 young people from our industry who have become scholars since its introduction in 1997 it has been a life-changing experience - myself included.
I was fortunate to have been accepted for a scholarship in 2000. My time at Cranfield University, Leicestershire, was spent alongside young middle managers from various industries all wanting to progress their careers by learning about business and themselves. It was very encouraging that the hoteliers on the course stood out because of their understanding of business as a whole.
The two-week course was demanding but incredibly rewarding and, once completed, allowed me to return to Calcot with a renewed confidence and the skills to help me progress both within the company and the industry. Notably, each of the hoteliers who attended Cranfield that year all became general managers, a testimony to the quality of the training.
The industry is made up of many small independent hotels of great quality but often the economic pressures on time make it difficult to allow for structured management training. The scholarship offers an intensive education away from the workplace and an opportunity to invest time in yourself or employees.
Through the generous support and investment of the Worshipful Company of Innholders and the Savoy Educational Trust, the scholarships are fully funded: an exceptional opportunity for personal development at no cost to you or your company.
I feel privileged to have been offered this exceptional opportunity in the early days of my career and without doubt it was a life-changing experience which gave me the knowledge and skills to progress my career with renewed vigour.
- The Master Innholders Scholarship Programme awards scholarships annually to managers in the hospitality industry. Successful candidates are granted places on a two-week management development course at Cranfield University, Cornell University, New York State, USA, or the Ecole Hôtelièr de Lausanne, Switzerland. The cost of tuition, board and lodging is included as well as a contribution towards travel to Cornell and Lausanne.