Hospitality Requirements

AHA requires Host Properties to have broad enough operations to facilitate a comprehensive training in the hospitality field including rotation through different departments and or functions depending on duration of the training. We typically find that hotels with at least a four-star/four-diamond rating as determined by AAA and/or Mobil Travel meet these requirements. In addition, some properties without this rating may also be appropriate for hospitality internship and trainee programs.

Training in the Hospitality/Tourism Industry

Exchange Visitors may not perform ordinary work or unskilled positions. Interns/Trainees must participate in comprehensive rotations through a variety of departments as outlined on the Training Internship Placement Plan.

Acceptable Rotations:

Front Desk/Concierge/Reservations
F&B Service Positions (restaurant, catering/banquets, hotel outlets) – focus is customer service skill, US service standards, teamwork, communication, financial goals, sales/marketing, leadership
Beverage Service - focus must includes cost control, service standards, sales and marketing, inventory, beverage management.
F&B Host - focus includes restaurant “floor” management, teamwork, leadership, communication, customer service
Professional Culinary Training Positions – must be rotated through different levels.
Activities and Event Planning: focus must be on event planning, scheduling and marketing, cost control and learning the position to understand its management and overall role in the operation
Purchasing/Accounting/HR/Sales/Executive Office
Advanced Training/Supervisor Skills - Interns/Trainees are encouraged to learn about budgeting, marketing, management, and scheduling by shadowing and observing supervisors.

Rotations Sometimes Acceptable

Housekeeping - only as part of a rotational training plan. Cannot exceed 3 days of job shadow and must focus on learning the position to understand standards, management and leadership.
Night Audit – training must be limited in duration cannot exceed 20% the training plan (60 days of a 12-month program) and must be 100% supervised. Participants cannot be training/working alone.
PBX – no more than 20% of the training plan
Server in Training – for participants with no or very limited experience, focus on overall introduction to operation and service standards, maximum duration 15 days' best practice, 30 days when additional training is necessary (benefitting participant's development) Training occurs during orientation or intro to new phase/rotation.
Prep Cook - for participants with no or very limited experience, focus on overall introduction to operation and service standards, maximum duration 30 days' best practice, 60 days when additional training is necessary. Occurs during orientation or intro to new phase/rotation
Retail: focus must be on service standards, sales techniques, marketing, purchasing, inventory and learning the position to understand its management and overall role in the operation. No more than 20% of the training plan.

Never Acceptable as Rotation, includes but not limited:

Cleaners Hotel/Resort, Housekeeping, Laundry
Dishwashing
Short Order Cook/Fast Food Prep
Fast Food Service/Cashier/General Clerk/Counter Help/Coffee Barista
Banquet Set Up
Food Busser
Valet
Spa
Maintenance
Security

TIP - a qualified training does not teach serving, front desk, cooking, this could potentially be considered "ordinary" and in some cases unskilled. The focus of each phase is to develop new skills and knowledge. For example, by rotating through these positions and departments, participants learn the position to understand how it is managed. Additionally, participants learn among other key competencies used by hospitality professionals: teamwork, cooperation, problem solving, time management, guest and public relation skills, intro to budget, marketing, HR, supervisor skills/leadership/management skills.