Having gained experience working in several industries during her career, DecolynneJo Burns decided to pursue a new one in hospitality management. She is currently working toward her diploma at AOLCC’s Downtown Edmonton campus and hopes to eventually achieve her dream and start her own hotel or restaurant. That’s why she’s currently working hard to gain the necessary expertise to work in that environment at a management level.
We spoke with DecolynneJo about her professional career to date, why she chose the hospitality management program, and how AOLCC has been helping her work towards her career goals. Here’s what she had to tell us about her experience studying Hospitality Management at AOLCC.
The Moment When DecolynneJo Decided to Chase a New Career
Prior to studying at AOLCC, DecolynneJo Burns had worn many hats in her professional life. She has worked in healthcare, the oil and gas industry, as a motivational speaker, and as a customer service representative at the Department of National Defence. However, she made the decision to pivot to hospitality management for one reason in particular: to move to Victoria. Sensing an opportunity in the city for employment in hospitality management in environments like hotels, restaurants, ferries, lounges, restaurants, DecolynneJo enrolled in AOLCC’s program.
When asked why she chose AOLCC as the school where she’d complete her hospitality management program, she credits the “skill set, the education, and top-notch learning experience” she knew she could look forward to. “With the partnership with the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), I will be receiving additional certifications in Hospitality Operations and Rooms Division,” she adds.
What Her Hospitality Training at AOLCC Has Done for Her
One of DecolynneJo’s biggest career goals is to open a small restaurant or lounge and/or a bed and breakfast with her husband. Together, they plan on making veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces the target audience of their future business. Choosing to get a hospitality management diploma at AOLCC has helped her get closer to reaching this goal. DecolynneJo says that “I am able to manage a fast-paced environment that will be rewarding,” adding that, “The tools and education have given me the chance to reach my dream, absolute potential to succeed, and resources to access my future success.”
You can listen to DecolynneJo Burns talk about her experience at AOLCC in this short clip:
How AOLCC’s Hospitality Training Can Help You Reach Your Goals
For anyone else wanting to do their hospitality training, DecolynneJo highly recommends completing it at AOLCC. She considers the program to be a great fit for those wanting to work in a fast-paced environment like the one the hospitality industry provides. “From hotels to cruise ships to bars and lounges, there are rewarding and challenging opportunities available at a supervisory level with the education and skill set that is learned,” she says. She’s especially complimentary of the AOLCC staff she has met during her studies (in particular, she thanks training director/program coordinator Nayima Nadeem and Student Support Services worker Kathryn Killoh for their support), and how their gestures have improved her experience. “The staff of the Academy of Learning Career College Downtown [Edmonton] campus are amazing,” she says. “From emails to phone calls to reminders and pats on the pack—they truly make the learning environment a great place.”
Do you want to pursue an exciting professional journey in hospitality management?
