HOSPA celebrates outstanding learners at annual awards ceremony

The 2020 ‘Outstanding Overall Learners of the Year' for financial management and revenue management have been announced by HOSPA.

Awards were also presented to the highest-achieving learners at each level at a virtual event held last week at the hospitality professionals association's online Annual Learner Awards Ceremony.

The awards for the two outstanding learners of the year were revealed online to attendees, with the winners set to receive trophies and complimentary day delegate spaces for Hospace 2021.

The two recipients, who gained the highest combined course work and examination results for 2020 in their respective professional development programmes, were:

• For financial management: Lucy Cole, research analyst, BDO LLP

• For revenue management: Krista Kortelainen, reservations and guests service manager, Citystay

The programmes provide the skills and knowledge for hospitality professionals seeking to excel in their careers in hospitality finance or revenue management.

The introductory and advanced level modules have been written for the hospitality sector by specialist educators and industry leaders and reflect the need for learners to continue full-time work while studying.

The awards were presented by Debra Adams, programme manager, and Harry Murray, president of HOSPA and chairman of Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa.

HOSPA chief executive Jane Pendlebury said: "Huge congratulations to our outstanding learners and all our prize-winning highest achievers, who have each demonstrated outstanding commitment to their careers, combining study with demanding full-time roles in the hotel and restaurant industry during these challenging times. We are extremely proud of them.

Murray said: "We need to be positive; hospitality is the one industry that can ignite the economy and create jobs. People will want to dine out, celebrate and stay in hotels, and there will be a huge demand for staycations. My thoughts go out to those made redundant, but hopefully they will soon be re-employed.

"I am proud to be president of HOSPA and applaud the amazing opportunities it has created for flexible online learning. I hope many people will take advantage of its programmes on financial management and revenue management.

"We have seen today that if you carry on learning new skills you will quickly gain promotion. There will be a huge emphases on margins after lockdown and those skilled in financial management and revenue management will be in demand."

The deadline date for enrolment for the next intake to all HOSPA courses is 1 March 2021. View more details here