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Career Development | By Jennifer Cekus
Jennifer is a Career Development
Specialist for Pittsburgh Technical
Institute, a postsecondary career college
awarding graduates associate degrees
and certificates in business, design, computer,
technical, medical, safety, travel and
hospitality majors. PTI has campuses in
Oakdale and in Cranberry at the Regional
Learning Alliance. For more information
visit www.pti.edu or call 412.809.5100.
My SummerVacation...Made Possible by Countless Others
My family and I are in the midst of planning our summer
vacation. As we’re deciding where to go, where to stay and what
to do while we’re there, we’ve been sharing stories of memorable
trips over the years. So often, these memories not only involve
family and friends, but also the strangers we encounter along the
way.We remember…
The airline attendant who exhausted every possibility trying to
find us a way home from
Philadelphia when we missed our flight.
The cruise ship captain who vacated his dining table so our
large group could eat together.
The young man from the rental agency who brought a broom
to our beach condo when,
speaking Pittsburgh-ese, we asked for a “sweeper.”
While you’re vacationing this summer, take a moment to look
around at all of the people who are making your “time away”
possible.The travel agent, hotel staff, airline crew, restaurant team
– it’s their job to give you a great vacation. You probably never
realized that while you recharge your batteries, your family
vacation fuels a multi-billion dollar industry that represents a
crucial part of our country’s economic stability.
According to the Travel Industry Association, Americans
made more than 54 million trips to the beach, spending an
average of $737 per trip excluding transportation.These trips
affect dining, touring/sightseeing, shopping, entertainment and
night life, along with various means of getting to the shore –
airline, rental car, and shuttle service, to name just a few. And
then there are all of those other vacation destinations.
The people working while you vacation are not necessarily
local high school and college students earning money on their
summer break.Many have spent two or more years in higher
education honing their specific craft.They have been trained in
customer service skills, problem solving and management.This is
their career, and making your vacation a pleasant experience so
that you’ll spread the word and visit again is their goal.
On the surface, it may seem like these individuals have it
made.What could be better than spending every day in a resort
destination, right? Now, recall the last time you sent back a meal
that wasn’t prepared just right; the ticket agent you blamed when
your luggage was lost; the unmade beds, crooked lampshades and
crusty room service trays that are always set right by the door
every time you return to your room…sounds like a day at the
beach doesn’t it?
Their education prepared them for the good, the bad and the
disastrous.They can make each guest feel like a VIP, no matter
how many have checked in each day.They determine, often at the
spur of the moment, how to best appease an unhappy customer
and minimize disruption for other guests.They are prepared to
calmly and efficiently evacuate the premises when fire, hostile
action or natural disaster strikes; putting their customers’ safety
before their own.
In a time when security is one of our top concerns, it helps to
know that the crews on the planes, trains, buses and cruise ships
are prepared to assess and manage risk.They have practiced
simulated terrorist acts and are prepared to react as nontraditional
first responders. In a situation where I, as a tourist, can
see myself grabbing my husband and son and ducking into the
nearest hiding place, it helps me to know that there are
professionals ready to ensure our safety – before, during and after
our trip.
So, as you relax on your summer vacation, remember that your
efforts to “get away from it all” have created a booming business
for others who work hard to provide you with a memorable
experience. Appreciate their efforts, provide them with feedback
and tip the deserving well.
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Hurdling to Victory
