Dalata Hotel Group |

Hotel/Hotels/Location of your graduate programme : Clayton Dublin Airport

Stream : Revenue

Can you tell us about the Dalata Graduate programme and your experience with this programme?

The programme was the ideal steppingstone out of college, where I studied hotel management in Shannon. There are next to no hotel groups that offer the kind of variety that Dalata does in terms of streams to uptake post college, with options to join almost any department in a hotel to cater to your interests and passions. I always found I was interested in the business and revenue side of the industry, and the revenue stream had a fantastic 18-month guide on how their operating systems, forecasting techniques, understanding the business mix and market analysis. I was also given a senior mentor throughout the programme from Central Office who I would catch up with on a monthly basis, which I found crucial in making sure I was constantly developing and not resting on what I knew so far. I came in with little to no experience of the field and by my graduation, I felt extremely confident within myself about my knowledge of the area and to be able to apply for a full-time role.

What is the most interesting project you have been involved in since you joined?

I was part of the hotel team which presented our 2024 budget to the senior Dalata board, which was an incredible experience I was only with them for 16 months at the time. I presented 3 slides on our overall strategy and distribution channels to the CEO, COO and more.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Being in the revenue team means you need to constantly keep an eye on events announcements, business news or local projects to make sure your hotel is correctly rated for any key dates or announcements. It taught me to read the news more and take better notice of current affairs, which is something I feel has become difficult to do in recent times. I quite enjoy this aspect of my job as there’s something new every day to consider, so certainly not a job where you can expect constant repetition.

What prompted you to apply for the Dalata Graduate Programme?

Dalata is still a relatively new hotel group and seeing how quickly they were expanding is quite exciting and means there are great opportunities to be part of a superb team so early in their journey. They’re also Irish which always helps, support local!

What was your experience of the Dalata Graduate recruitment process?

Thorough and fair, they covered all bases and had some interviews and questions which weren’t the norm and actually got you to think on your feet, something you can expect to do regularly in the hospitality industry!

Have you any tips for someone else thinking of applying to the Dalata Graduate Programme?

Get on LinkedIn and feel free to message any past graduates! They’ll always have the best answers and recommendations on the streams and what might be best suited to you.

Please give a brief overview of your journey since completing the graduate programme, including your current job title.

Revenue and Groups Executive – Clayton Dublin Airport

Systems Support Executive – Central Office

I currently work a split role between my hotel and central office, with the second role recently secured having completed the revenue development programme, a second programme following on from the graduate one which takes on a more detailed training and analysis of all things revenue management, as well as helping you meet current and future revenue managers.

Hotel/Hotels/Location of your graduate programme : Clayton Hotel Manchester Airport

Stream : Operations

Can you tell us about the Dalata Graduate programme and your experience with this programme?

My graduate programme was challenging at times, but it has allowed me to progress in the best way possible. I had never worked in a hotel, prior to the programme but it was a real eye opener and a great way to develop my skills. The opportunity to rotate around the different departments is fantastic and enabled me to gain a holistic view of the hotel and how all of the departments work together.

What is the most interesting project you have been involved in since you joined?

Not so much a project, but I have enjoyed going to several other hotels to help and support them. I really enjoyed helping Burlington Road with their big events, as well as assisting in Newcastle, Bristol & Glasglow.

What is your favourite part of your job?

Making a positive difference to people’s day(s).

What prompted you to apply for the Dalata Graduate Programme?

I really enjoyed living in Manchester during my university experience, so I knew I wanted to stay in the same city after graduating. After researching a few different paths, I thought a graduate programme would be beneficial for me. I had never heard of the company before but thought it would be a great opportunity to kickstart my career in hotels.

What was your experience of the Dalata Graduate recruitment process?

I applied and had my first interview but got declined after this round. I only got called into the hotel specifically for another interview, after someone else had dropped out the programme.

Have you any tips for someone else thinking of applying to the Dalata Graduate Programme?

I would recommend it but remind them to be resilient and stick it through the whole programme, to really see the benefits at the end. It can be challenging at times but pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is the best way to learn and develop.

Could you please give a brief overview of your journey since completing the graduate programme, including your current job title?

After completing the graduate programme, I applied for the Guest Relations Executive role in my hotel. After 9 months, I was promoted to Guest Relations Manager, and I have now been in this role for around 14 months and do Duty Manager shifts also.

Hotel/Hotels/Location of your graduate programme : The Samuel Hotel

Stream : Human Resources

Can you tell us about the Dalata Graduate programme and your experience with this programme?

During twelve months I’ve been working with an HR Manager while being trained on the side by the central office team. It was an intense year; you learn a lot and you are being challenged a lot, but the outcome is truly worth it.

What is the most interesting project you have been involved in since you joined? The most interesting project for me during the programme was the budget presentation. I’ve been asked to present the HR KPI’s and stats to the board of direction, when I was about 7-8 months in the company. That was an amazing experience, and I was delighted to be trusted and supported to do it.

What is your favourite part of your job?

My favourite part of the programme was the level of initiative and freedom that was given to me as a Graduate. I was working with all departments and helping them finding new ideas. We would try one idea after the other, see if the results were good or not and either keep it or move on. You might think that hotels are quite linear in their ways of work but it’s actually changing all the time and that requires a lot of creativity and teamwork.

What prompted you to apply for the Dalata Graduate Programme?

I wanted to join the Dalata Hotel Group for a while before actually joining the Programme, unfortunately this was during COVID, so it was very challenging. Once the COVID situation got better, I started to apply for junior HR roles within the group, alongside the Graduate Programme which was successful.

What was your experience of the Dalata Graduate recruitment process?

All aspects of the recruitments process were great. People were extremely friendly and understanding. I was amazed by the level of equality and fairness all along, and the genuine interest and open mind regarding my profile considering I am foreign and had an atypical profile.

Have you any tips for someone else thinking of applying to the Dalata Graduate Programme?

I think the programme is what genuinely boosted my career, I was definitely not expecting to be where I am now, when I joined the programme. I was in a way taking a step back by becoming a graduate, but I definitely don’t regret it because what I got in return was ten times greater than where I’d be without the programme. If someone was to join the programme, all I could tell them would be to be themselves, and to give their best to achieve their goals because the Dalata Hotel Group will be supporting them the entire time, beyond expectations.

Could you please provide a brief overview of your journey since completing the graduate programme, including your current job title?

After the programme I joined a sister property as Assistant HR Manager, before going back to my first hotel as HR Manager a few months later. This happened extremely fast and was due to a concurrence of events, but I was delighted to go back to my first hotel and to be welcomed back by the hotel’s General Manager and the rest of the team. I have been there since and I’m very happy with my current team and situation. I am now teaching and training the new generations of HR Graduates in order to help them achieving their goals and it’s really amazing.