Business Empowerment

Management Level 1 Scholarship

Supervisors Scholarship (now called Management Level 1), at Cameron House Hotel 2016
Vhairi Millar, Senior Business Development Assistant, Auchrannie Resort

"I’ve been working at Auchrannie Resort on the Isle of Arran for over 2 and a half years. This is my first job in the hospitality sector since graduating from university with a degree in Entertainment and Events management. I first applied for the position at Auchrannie because I wanted to work within a fast paced, customer centred environment within the industry, and I had heard fantastic things about the resort as well as the island.

When I applied for the Supervisors scholarship I was a Business Development Assistant at Auchrannie Resort, and I believed it would allow me to improve upon my existing skills in areas relevant to my job including people management, team motivation and communication, but also give me the supervisory skills which I lacked, meaning I could grow in my role, take on additional responsibilities, and be better placed to aid my manager on a daily basis.

I also hoped it would boost my confidence in my abilities, and would allow me to share the learnings with my colleagues, so aiding the efficiency of the team, which then benefits the company as a whole.

The 2 day course was called “Essential Skills for Aspiring Managers” and involved practical workshops to show us the importance of positive and consistent management styles and how they help deliver customer, team and business excellence. I was pleasantly surprised at the group work that we had to do, and that we were given insights into our own personalities and how people learn, rather than just being provided with a list of things we should do.  It was great to use the new knowledge and information the tutors Jackie and Rob gave us and relate this to my working environment, my manager and my own experiences.

The course helped me learn much about myself and allowed me to compare my experiences to that of the other scholars.  I enjoyed how my group pulled together in a team to create a presentation, based on our knowledge, new and old.

It was also great to visit Cameron House Hotel and have the opportunity to gain an insight into how it was run, as well as hearing from the Resort Director, Andy Roger, who showed that there are great opportunities within this industry, and that you should keep on learning.

During the scholarship I had the realisation that I would like to progress into a managerial role and that I am more confident and capable than I previously thought. Through discussion with my manager, we are looking to develop me within the business, providing me with more responsibility and people management, and therefore giving me the opportunity to better apply my scholarship experience.

I have since been promoted to Senior Business Development Assistant.

I would definitely recommend this Supervisors scholarship to anyone looking to grow in the industry and I believe it is great for taking those first steps towards being a leader.   I personally learned a lot about myself and my own ambitions as well as providing me with the tools to grow as a manager. It has also shown my managers that I am keen to improve and progress.  I am sure I will be applying for other scholarships as my career continues!"