MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality received delighted news, in which two students from the Higher Diploma in Tourism, Hospitality, and Events Management programme clinched the 1^st and 2^nd positions during the Singapore National Cocktail Competition held on 7^th September, 2020.

Singapore National Cocktail Competition was organised by the Association of Bartenders and Sommeliers (ABSS), Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), and Singapore Hotel Association. Amidst the current pandemic, the highly anticipated competition proceeded this year with stringent safety measures in place. In the initial preliminary rounds conducted via video submissions, 5 MDIS Tourism and Hospitality students were selected and trained within a tight timeline to concoct their original recipe, practice their practical showmanship.

A total of 15 students from various schools participated in this year’s Student Category and only 5 were eligible to progress to the finals, where each student was given a completely new ingredient to create a new concoction for the competition. Each finalist had five minutes to concoct their signature drink in front of the judges and global online audience. They were judged on Safety and Hygiene of presentation, Techniques, Skills and Flair, Bar Mixology Showmanship, Presentation of their drinks, Introduction speech of their inspiration drink and Time.

As an honour of MDIS, two of our Higher Diploma’s students, Ms Deng Keni from China and Ms Kim Taeeon from Korea, had qualified for the finals to be held on 7^th September at Devan Nair Institute, Singapore. With strong determination to win this competition, our international student from China, Deng Keni was crowned Champion, with her winning drink, First Love. In second place was another of our international student from Korea, Kim Taeeon, with her concoction, Sunset Bay.

Mr. Isaac Joshua, MDIS Head of School for Tourism and Hospitality, adds, “Despite the gloom and doom of the pandemic, the sacrifice, commitment, and fantastic display of our student and supporting staff certainly brings much-needed joy and laughter to everyone in our school. Winning 1^st and 2^nd position in the National Competition is also a testament to our forward-looking curriculum and emphasis on industry-relevant practical skills in MDIS.  At MDIS, we continually seek ways to engage our students in practical learning opportunities and this presented an excellent platform for our tourism and hospitality students to gain skills that are practical and relevant for the future. Such learning opportunities will provide students with exciting and important competitive advantages in an international workplace and give them enhanced career opportunities in tourism and hospitality!”

Our heartiest congratulation to both students for bringing joy and glory to the school. In fact, during last year’s competition, MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality had also clinched the 1^st and 2^nd position in the student category, and retaining the top two spots this year makes it so much sweeter.  In participating in the competition at the national level, MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality students have also gained invaluable skills & experience and enhanced their personal development in preparation for the industry’s eventual rebound.

 

About MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality

The MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH) prides itself on training today’s student, for tomorrow’s professional.  Partnering the University of Sunderland (UK), the MDIS tourism and hospitality school offers programme specialisations in tourism, hospitality, and events management delivered by an experienced and qualified teaching faculty in Singapore.

The University of Sunderland (UK) is ranked top ten in the UK for the subject: Hospitality, Event Management and Tourism by The Guardian University Guide 2020.

A firm believer in grooming leading professionals of the future through practicum, MDIS invested in a hospitality training centre as part of the Tourism and Hospitality school in Singapore – Tropical Breeze to equip students with the professional knowledge and skills to work in the various industries. Occupying a floor area of 1,400 sqft on campus, Tropical Breeze offers tourism and hospitality school students in Singapore the opportunity to learn and practice front office, service, and hospitality operations with the latest Opera Fidelio Property Management System, well-equipped bar counter facilities, and a mock-up guest room. With a combination of knowledge as well as practical skills, tourism, and hospitality school graduates in Singapore are well-prepared to handle the challenges of a fast-moving industry.

To compliment a strong academic foundation, students are also required to complete a 6-month internship at leading hotels, resorts, and attractions locally or overseas, as part of the tourism and hospitality school curriculum after completing their Higher Diploma, to gain a real-world understanding of the complexities and demands of the tourism and hospitality sector in Singapore and overseas.