Benny Britton is a born and bred Queenstown local. From Wakatipu High School, through QRC and now off to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, USA. We can assure you that Benny Britton is a name to remember, wherever he ends up we know he’ll give it his all! This Accor and SixStar Scholarship recipient is more passionate about the hospitality industry than any other 22 year old you’ve ever met, he’s got a strong future ahead of him in the hospitality industry and we can’t wait to see where he ends up.
Why did you choose to follow a career in tourism/hospitality?
I first became interested in a career in hospitality management after a family trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, where I experienced travelling abroad to the Northern hemisphere. I was inspired to work in the hospitality industry, as it gives me the opportunity to work and travel abroad while meeting new people from all different cultural backgrounds and ethnicities.
Why did you choose QRC?
I chose QRC, because of the perfect blend of practical training and classroom theory work offered. I knew that QRC had a reputation as being one of the best tourism and hospitality training centres in New Zealand. Their standards and professional excellence system has set me up in a way that wherever I dream of working one day, I know I will get there.
Where was your internship and what was the biggest “take away” from your internship experience?
My internship was with two Accor Hotels in Queenstown: Hotel St Moritz and Sofitel. Both 5 star properties helped me gain an understanding and benchmark of what 5 star service should feel, sound and look like.
Tell me about your journey since leaving QRC.
Ever since leaving QRC, I have been working at Hotel St Moritz Queenstown thanks to a very generous offer from my internship. My mentor Tomas Portas has been encouraging me to do better and better each and every day.
What role are you in now?
I am now a senior food and beverage attendant performing both breakfast and dinner shifts.
What are your main responsibilities?
I am starting to train newcomers into their job. I have added responsibilities such as maintaining stock levels and reporting deficiencies to the supervisor and kitchen departments. As well as clearing and resetting tables, maintaining bookings via resdiary, I report directly and work alongside my supervisors and colleagues.
How did your time at QRC help prepare you for your current job?
Always be prepared to put in the work, day or night. Attitude is everything and if you are not prepared to work the unusual hours that this industry can deal you, then this can be a tough career path! QRC has given me immense background knowledge of the hotel I now work at, and I am able to understand the current industry trends due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although a difficult time for the industry, I know QRC has set me up extremely well to cope with all of these challenges.
What do you enjoy the most about your current position?
Making people’s day and reading guest comments. I feel immense satisfaction by making a person’s stay ever more so special. I feel valued at work and know that my work/life balance is respected so well and that motivates me to perform even better in my current role.
What are your plans for the future?
In August 2022, I will be leaving New Zealand to move to the United states to work at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. I will be working in Food & Beverage and Banquets, where I will still have a lot to learn and get used to. My goal is to be either an assistant manager or restaurant/bar manager of a fine dining hotel or restaurant establishment either in New Zealand or overseas, and eventually be an operations or general manager of a high-level boutique hotel overseas, or New Zealand based.
What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
My father said that you should, “Do a job that you love, not a job that you hate. If you do a job that you hate, then you will be a slave to routine”. This is so true to me, because in hospitality nothing is ever routine. Every service period, every day is always different. Different guests, different stories and different experiences. That is why I chose to be in the hospitality industry. To learn, explore, and entertain. It’s one of the oldest industries in the world, and will always remain imperative in our everyday lives.
What advice would you give to your teenage self?
Take every opportunity with both hands. Life is too short to live in the slow lane and be comfortable with what you have. You simply cannot live your life within your comfort zone, otherwise, you will never be successful whatever you do in life. That is why those who are successful and experience failure at some point in their lives, will admit that every single opportunity needs to be capitalised upon, no matter if you initially thought you won’t succeed. Everyone fails, that is a fact of life. Persevere, fail and get up, fail and get up. Because years down the track, you will look back and thank yourself for getting through the tough times and everyone will look up to you as an inspiration for so many.
Learn more about our courses:
Adventure Tourism Management
Hospitality Management
Machine Learning
