I’ve been working on events – mainly weddings and parties – since I was 15. Although I didn’t know back then what I was doing was called events and hospitality, I knew I had the bug! I started a Hospitality Management diploma at my local college, the Colchester Institute. I’d never planned on getting a degree until one of my college professors told me how he once applied for a job at the Hilton in New York and they wouldn’t touch him because he didn’t have one. That really stuck with me.
After college, I discovered Edge Hotel School, the UK’s only fully commercial, four-star hotel school – Wivenhoe House – right on my doorstep at the University of Essex. It was fate – I realised I had to get a degree.Signing up for the FdA Events Management degree course, I quickly discovered that Edge Hotel School’s reputation was second to none. One of my course mates had come all the way from Dubai specifically for the practical elements. But the whole school is incredibly international – people from Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and beyond – creating the perfect environment for an industry built on global connections. The practical element was exactly what drew me, too – although the reality was more challenging than expected. Despite my early experience and excitement, I almost failed my first year. Events management is not for everyone – my year group started with over twenty people and only twelve completed. But by working Christmas parties, baby showers, weddings and funerals, those of us who remained were prepared for anything. After three years, I graduated with a First in my dissertation, a 2:1 degree and Student of the Year award.
So what changed? For me, it was the moment I realised that Edge Hotel School was a safe place to make mistakes. The staff have so much industry experience and genuinely want to help you learn. We had eight-week rotations in the hotel, alternating between lectures and practical weeks. This meant my classmates and me did both theoretical and practical work together, which built extremely strong relationships. Wivenhoe House is a real workplace with real guests and you’re on a real rota. You might be serving in the Brasserie, on reception, or even in the kitchen. As events students, we spent extra time on functions, sometimes finishing at two or three in the morning. It was tough but fun.
Progressing into my second year, the hotel staff who had mentored me during my own struggles put their trust in us to lead. My classmates and I would get a bunch of freshmen who were completely new to hospitality, and suddenly it was our turn to teach them how to take an order or serve a table. That’s where I started learning my management style. Turns out, I’m very hands-on – I’ll make someone do something in front of me so we can see what works or what’s not right. Once you can manage a stubborn 18-year-old who doesn’t want to be there, you can manage anyone! Following my second year, one professor put me in touch with a contact at Hilton Hotels. After some persistent badgering, he kindly created an internship for me at their Canary Wharf site.
Then, following my graduation, I saw that The Groucho Club in London – a beautiful, surreal, exclusive place for creative people – was advertising for an event coordinator. There is no doubt in my mind that all this experience helped me land the job. I sailed through the interviews and started three weeks later (although I still work occasionally at Wivenhoe House, because I love being part of that supportive community).
The practical experience Edge Hotel School gave me has made me so much more resilient, given me far greater confidence, and taught me everything I needed to step into this fantastic opportunity. I give Edge huge credit for this.
But I give myself credit, too, because any course is only what you make of it. A traditional degree might be fine for theory. But only by combining this with regular hands-on experience can you adapt your supervisory style, learn how to work in a team and build that unspoken bond between colleagues. The chances to fail were valuable precisely because they made getting it right so much more powerful. Exhausting, but absolutely worth it!
Written by
Ruby Rosina White, Events Coordinator at The Groucho Club