Life at sea

It’s National Careers Week and we caught up with Edge Hotel School graduate, Emily Kaye, to learn more about her career, her experience at Edge Hotel School and what advice she’d give to someone considering a career in hospitality and events.

Where do you currently work and what are the day to day responsibilities of your role?

My current role is as a Stewardess on a 73m super yacht. We’ve spent this winter in the Indian Ocean and are spending the summer in the eastern Mediterranean.

My day-to-day responsibilities vary, from serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, all of which is silver served to our guests. On top of that I have to ensure the guests always get or have what they want. I also help with housekeeping and laundry, where everything needs to be done to an incredibly high standard - imagine cleaning everywhere with toothpicks and cotton buds, and every time a guest leaves an area that area is fully cleaned.

How did Edge Hotel School help in preparing you for your career?

Edge Hotel School prepared me for my career by giving me exposure to all aspects of hotel work, and so many other aspects of the hospitality industry. It really widened my knowledge and showed me that hospitality is so varied and exciting. The connections I made at Edge Hotel School led to my first position with Hilton Hotels. I moved on from there to Claridges where my time spent in the events team at Wivenhoe House hotel really assisted me when running VIP events.

What attracted you to work in hotels, hospitality and events?

I've always enjoyed the buzz you get from hospitality, knowing you are making memories for people and sometimes these times will stay with people for the rest of their lives. I also wanted the chance to travel with my work and hospitality is one of the best industries for that!

What is the most rewarding thing about working in the industry?

The most rewarding thing about the industry is the opportunities that are available no matter your age or experience. I've been lucky to travel the world through the industry by working ski seasons and on the super yachts. I've also met some incredible people including presidents, royalty and well known household names throughout all my positions. I also now have close friends all over the world who all share the same passion for travelling and high quality service. The memories and stories I have will stay with me and always provide some humour in conversations.

What advice you would give to a 16/17 year old who is thinking about a future career in hospitality?

The advice I would give to anyone thinking about a future career in hospitality is you have to love it and be passionate. It can be long and unsociable hours and I've missed several birthdays, Christmases and weddings due to work my work. And it is tough to be away from home, especially at these times, but it's so worth it!!

If you love your job and have a passion for it, hospitality is the one industry that has so many different options and can literally take you round the world! I wouldn't change anything about my career despite many of my school friends working more regular 9-5 jobs - you see things at 4am that no one else sees and there's something magical and special about it.

Emily graduated from Edge Hotel School in 2016 with a BA in Hotel Management.