The bus rattled gently as we curved our way toward ICONSIAM, each seat vibrating with the texture of the road and the whir of the engine almost like individual massage chairs. One of the students started a karaoke game of guess that Disney character, and before long our group was singing at full voice. A short time later they were applying that same team spirit, poised in jet-black uniforms and serving guests, at a professional event where our colleagues from Avani+ Bangkok and Anantara Riverside were providing catering to over a thousand guests.
That moment captured what the Practical Arts semester is all about. One minute, you’re simply classmates on a bus, full of nerves and energy. The next, you’re a team representing your school and your industry in a professional setting. At AIHM, the classroom and workplace blur together from the very first semester. Some lessons take place behind a desk. Many others take place wherever hospitality is in motion, from the hotels at our campus doorstep, to charity initiatives at local primary schools, to special events in some of the city’s most exclusive locations.
When I think back over the first semester experience, this is what stands out most clearly: the way students discover that their classroom is everywhere. Whether they’re in a kitchen learning how to plate a dish, in the lobby practicing front-office operations, or out in the city supporting an event, they are constantly connecting theory to practice, developing as professionals and future leaders, and discovering how the moving parts of hospitality connect in a variety of business settings.
So what exactly does this first semester look like in practice?
The Practical Arts: Your First Semester at AIHM
At AIHM, we dedicate the entire first semester of the BBA degree to studying the Practical Arts. It is a distinctive start: seven modules that immerse students in the essential operational areas of hospitality. Over 18 weeks, they rotate through:
- Front Office – The welcome point for every guest
- Housekeeping – Where precision and care meet behind the scenes
- Food & Beverage Service – The art of creating a seamless dining experience
- Kitchen Operations – From teamwork on the line to understanding culinary systems
- Barista Training – Mastering the craft of coffee, detail by detail
- Mixology – Learning creativity and balance in beverage service
- Oenology (Wine Science and Culture) – Understanding culture, heritage and the finer points of service
Some might look at this list and see only the tasks of day-to-day hotel work. But what students quickly discover is that these modules are so much more than technical training. Every shift at the front desk, every moment in the kitchen, every cup of espresso pulled is an exercise in communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and leadership in the making.
By the time the semester ends, the students realise that they are not simply learning how to complete tasks; they are learning how hospitality itself works. They begin to see how each department is interconnected, how details create experiences, and how the role of a future manager is to understand and value the contribution of every team member.
Finding Your Voice: Confidence in the Making
The biggest change I notice each semester is confidence. On the first day, many students are quiet, even hesitant. We’ve all read news about the so-called “Gen Z stare.” It’s true: the newest generation of university students does, overall, tend to be more introverted and exhibit a much more reserved communication style compared to previous generations. The hospitality industry requires its professionals and leaders to be self-assured and to truly master interpersonal communication skills.
By the final week of the Practical Arts semester, these same students are standing taller and speaking with assurance. They’ve grown from shy strangers to working as a united team.
The student video below captures this transformation vividly. At the end of each Practical Arts semester, we task students with creating a recap video. Together, they reflect on what they’ve learned and produce a short video to capture the semester. When we watch the video below, we will admit, we are bursting with pride at the transformation we see in the students.
If you watch the video—and I highly recommend that you do—you’ll see a fresh cohort of students, most of them still teenagers, who are already starting to exhibit a confidence and professionalism beyond their years. I’m struck by their honesty and how they speak openly about challenges. They talk about how they learned to manage time, overcome stress and adapt under pressure. They share achievements in critical thinking, emotional intelligence and problem-solving. AIHM students forge these qualities in the rhythm of daily practice: the stress of plating dishes on time, the precision of coordinating housekeeping checklists, the teamwork required when dozens of guests walk into a dining room at once.
One of the most valuable outcomes of the Practical Arts term is perspective. Everyone has been a customer, but very few have seen service from the other side. Students finish the semester with a new appreciation for what it means to deliver hospitality. They discover the complexity and the hard work required behind the scenes. That shift in perspective is a hidden strength. It’s something they’ll carry with them as future managers, entrepreneurs, or leaders in any field.
In truth, many of these students may never fold a sheet in a guestroom again, or plate food on the line after this semester. But what they gain—the ability to think on their feet, to value the contribution of others, and to work under pressure—is what makes them ready for leadership.
Why Leadership Begins with the Practical Arts
Why do we start the BBA degree with Practical Arts? For me, the answer is simple: because this is where leadership begins.
Hospitality is an industry built on people and details. To lead effectively, you must first understand how the system works at its most fundamental level. You don’t need to spend your career making beds or serving tables. However, you do need to know what those roles involve, and the value they bring to the guest experience.
From the very first weeks at AIHM, students are exposed to the realities of the industry. They learn how a kitchen runs under time pressure, how a front desk manages unexpected requests, how service teams communicate when the dining room fills at once. These lessons can’t be taught from a textbook alone. They have to be lived.
There’s another reason we begin here: exposure. Throughout the semester, students interact with industry professionals, sometimes even with business owners, executives, and visiting dignitaries. As we immerse our young professionals in the industry, they benefit from numerous opportunities to interact one-on-one with hospitality veterans, innovators and entrepreneurs. These encounters are often the first step toward future networks and careers.
The Practical Arts semester equips students with operational insight, adaptability, and respect for the team members they will one day manage. This first semester is about giving them a foundation on which true leadership can grow.
The Joy of Watching Young Professionals Emerge
For me as an instructor, the Practical Arts semester is about more than teaching skills. Over the 18 weeks, my job is not only to guide students through modules, but also to understand them as individuals. I get to see who they are, what strengths they carry, and how they begin to shape their own professional identities.
This is one of the most fulfilling parts of my role: watching young people grow into young professionals. At the beginning, many are unsure of themselves, hesitant to speak up, and still finding their footing. By the end, they are presenting with confidence, solving problems creatively, and supporting each other as teammates. They clarify their own values, and they begin to see how those values will guide the way they lead others in the future.
If there is one message I hope they carry forward, it is this:
Everyone is important.
Whether you are a kitchen porter, a housekeeper, or the head chef, every role matters. Hospitality is about connection, and it only works when everyone contributes and every contribution is respected. That understanding, more than any single technique or module, is what transforms students into leaders.
Grow Fast. Think Bigger. Go Global.
From your first semester on the Practical Arts to advanced courses in finance, marketing, and leadership, AIHM’s BBA degree prepares you to run teams and organisations. With two global internships and a Swiss-standard curriculum from Les Roches, one of the world’s top hotel management schools, you’ll graduate ready to lead in hospitality or beyond.
