After 30 years spent in onboard hospitality, I am constantly seeking ways to build meaningful connections linking my current academic pursuits to my business background and being a Partner at The Hayward Partnership (THP).
A former student, I have mentored at Oxford Brookes University’s School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events for 12 years, and was elected Visiting Industrial Fellow in 2023. These activities align so well with THP where we commit to nurturing talent and adopt a multifaceted approach that includes mentoring and inspiring students, bringing theory to life by coordinating industry site visits, inviting leaders and experts on campus to raise awareness of the many varied careers in the industry, supporting scholarships and commissioning cutting-edge research projects.
By way of demonstration, earlier this summer, I led a visit for Oxford Brookes students to the London Heathrow flagship kitchen of dnata Catering Operations’, arranged, in partnership, with another Brookes alumnus, Paul German, Head of Sales – Scheduled carriers.
The 10 students had a full-access unit tour and the chance to ask questions about seasonal menu plans, KPIs and other aspects of the operations. It was very new as the group had no previous exposure to aviation catering services, and this visit really opened their eyes to the complexity of the business, and to appreciate the number of global career opportunities. To paraphrase one student’s reaction, the visit completely reshaped how she looked at inflight food, realising it’s not just about meals, but the precision, purpose, and people behind the scenes.
For some marketing students attending this was just reward for completing a research study commissioned by THP and Melissa Adamski of Nutted out Nutrition in collaboration with Oxford Brookes Business School exploring Gen Z’s perceptions of Food onboard, nutrition and how travel habits influence meal and snack options. The study conducted by 197 students aims to identify key preferences and expectations to inform future offerings in the travel and catering sectors. Organisations with burning questions that they want investigated are encouraged to get in touch.
Our collaboration highlights the fantastic opportunities for companies to tap into the student talent pool and THP is committing our support on behalf of the industry as there is an active source here to offer placements, test out potential candidates and find the right fit for their business needs. In time we also aim to replicate our Brookes experiences with other universities and business schools and, perhaps, develop a course module aimed at preparing students for management roles in our global industry.
For more on possibilities and path ways, please contact me at mike@thehaywardpartnership.com
