Students work at hotel for a day

Henderson Chamber holds Career Day at Hyatt Regency

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While describing a four-hour gig as a front desk manger at the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas recently, Geri Salhuana, 17, stopped short to correct herself.

"Sorry, you should never say customers. Guests. I learned how to check guests in and out of the hotel," she said.

Semantics aside, Salhuana, a senior at Lake Mead Christian Academy, said one of the most eye-opening aspects of her experience, which was part of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce's annual Career Discovery Day, was seeing the everyday workings of a major hotel.

"Taking a tour of the whole hotel and seeing stuff that guests never see was really interesting," she said. "There are so many people working in a hotel, and they're always on the go -- I never knew this much goes on behind the scenes."

Alice Martz, chief executive officer of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, said helping students see behind the scenes, whether they've already picked a future career or not, is exactly what the chamber hopes to do with this program.

"Students get to see first hand the details of a business," she said. "They get the hands-on experience doing something they think they want to do, but it's totally different when you go into an office."

Though Salhuana said she isn't sure what career path she wants to take, Nick Lindsey, 17, a junior at Foothill High School, has no doubt about his future career.

"I'm going into culinary," Lindsey said. "I love it. My dad, when I was little, taught me how to cook. I love it, and I want to do it as my career."

During his time shadowing chefs in the food and beverage department, Lindsey helped prepare for a party in the banquet area. He said the experience only helped build his enthusiasm for culinary work, and as his first job shadowing experience, gave him an idea of how a professional kitchen works.

"It was a fun experience, and it showed me how many people it takes to get things like a banquet done," he said. "And the chefs took me around and showed me how many areas there are in a professional kitchen. I learned a lot -- I need to get organized in the kitchen."

Adi Kasunic, human resources director at the Hyatt, said all of the hotel's locations host a career day for high school students. Because the Hyatt's career day fell so close to the chamber's, the Hyatt decided to partner with the chamber and participate in Career Discovery Day.

The Hyatt hosted seven students, who spent the day shadowing managers in the hotel's restaurants, spa, housekeeping and front desk departments.

"The students coming to the Hyatt for career day have expressed an interest in working in the hospitality industry," Kasunic said. "By coming here for career day, they're able to see what their mentors do on a day-to-day basis, and whether the hospitality industry is something they want to pursue in college and then later as a career. It's something we can do to give back to the community."

Martz also said the chamber's Career Discovery Day, which has been in existence for more than 50 years, is one of the oldest career day programs in the state and is very popular among chamber members. This year more than 50 local businesses, including multiple departments of the city of Henderson and St. Rose Dominican hospitals, hosted more than 160 students from seven Henderson high schools.

"Most of the participating businesses are chamber members," she said. "We have had businesses that aren't chamber members participate -- the program is open to anyone who wants to participate."

For information, visit www.hendersonchamber.com.

By MARIA PHELAN

VIEW STAFF WRITER

While describing a four-hour gig as a front desk manger at the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas recently, Geri Salhuana, 17, stopped short to correct herself.

"Sorry, you should never say customers. Guests. I learned how to check guests in and out of the hotel," she said.

Semantics aside, Salhuana, a senior at Lake Mead Christian Academy, said one of the most eye-opening aspects of her experience, which was part of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce's annual Career Discovery Day, was seeing the everyday workings of a major hotel.

"Taking a tour of the whole hotel and seeing stuff that guests never see was really interesting," she said. "There are so many people working in a hotel, and they're always on the go -- I never knew this much goes on behind the scenes."

Alice Martz, chief executive officer of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, said helping students see behind the scenes, whether they've already picked a future career or not, is exactly what the chamber hopes to do with this program.

"Students get to see first hand the details of a business," she said. "They get the hands-on experience doing something they think they want to do, but it's totally different when you go into an office."

Though Salhuana said she isn't sure what career path she wants to take, Nick Lindsey, 17, a junior at Foothill High School, has no doubt about his future career.

"I'm going into culinary," Lindsey said. "I love it. My dad, when I was little, taught me how to cook. I love it, and I want to do it as my career."

During his time shadowing chefs in the food and beverage department, Lindsey helped prepare for a party in the banquet area. He said the experience only helped build his enthusiasm for culinary work, and as his first job shadowing experience, gave him an idea of how a professional kitchen works.

"It was a fun experience, and it showed me how many people it takes to get things like a banquet done," he said. "And the chefs took me around and showed me how many areas there are in a professional kitchen. I learned a lot -- I need to get organized in the kitchen."

Adi Kasunic, human resources director at the Hyatt, said all of the hotel's locations host a career day for high school students. Because the Hyatt's career day fell so close to the chamber's, the Hyatt decided to partner with the chamber and participate in Career Discovery Day.

The Hyatt hosted seven students, who spent the day shadowing managers in the hotel's restaurants, spa, housekeeping and front desk departments.

"The students coming to the Hyatt for career day have expressed an interest in working in the hospitality industry," Kasunic said. "By coming here for career day, they're able to see what their mentors do on a day-to-day basis, and whether the hospitality industry is something they want to pursue in college and then later as a career. It's something we can do to give back to the community."

Martz also said the chamber's Career Discovery Day, which has been in existence for more than 50 years, is one of the oldest career day programs in the state and is very popular among chamber members. This year more than 50 local businesses, including multiple departments of the city of Henderson and St. Rose Dominican hospitals, hosted more than 160 students from seven Henderson high schools.

"Most of the participating businesses are chamber members," she said. "We have had businesses that aren't chamber members participate -- the program is open to anyone who wants to participate."

For more information about the Henderson Chamber of Commerce or Career Discovery Day, visit www.hendersonchamber.com.