During a recent visit to company H.Q. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I had the pleasure of touring the soon-to-open Hotel at Kirkwood Center, and found it an eye-opening experience.
Having covered the hospitality industry going on 20 years—and meeting those who work in it in places ranging from down the street to Central Asia—I’ve developed a respect for all of the opportunities it creates. No matter what background you come from, as long as you put in the hours and effort, you can forge a successful career. It’s almost as egalitarian as the Army, and the food is notably better.
Kirkwood Community College is taking a leading role in training the next generation of hospitality career-seekers, from chefs and managers to frontline staff, and its new hotel is truly the laboratory to perfect the science.
The eye-opening part was just how many different disciplines intersect to create a professional hospitality environment. The hotel showcases the efforts not only of the school’s hospitality programs, but also its horticulture, viticulture, media/telecommunications and even auto-tech students—with a staff-to-guest ratio that’s off the charts.
Check out my Hotel Kirkwood story—and the video tour in our digital edition!—to discover more about this great institution.
