Choosing a university major is not simply about selecting a profession—it is about building the mindset, competencies, and adaptability needed for a long-term career. For Nguyễn Hà Việt Đức, an alumnus of the K59 High-Quality Hotel Management Program at the Foreign Trade University (FTU) Faculty of Business Administration, Hotel Management was exactly that kind of choice.
If given the opportunity to decide again, Đức says he would still choose FTU—and he would still choose Hotel Management. For him, the program not only shaped his career direction but also played a defining role in developing the person he is today.
When he first enrolled, Đức believed that studying Hotel Management would naturally lead to a career in hotels. However, his experience at FTU gradually broadened that perspective.
Throughout his university years, Đức balanced academic study with internships and part-time work. Classroom learning provided the theoretical framework behind business operations, while practical experience allowed him to apply and deepen that knowledge in real business settings.
As early as his second year, he began interning in the hospitality industry, where he gained firsthand exposure to professional service operations, connected with industry practitioners, and acquired insights that extended well beyond textbooks. That experience eventually led to his first professional position in the field.
Looking back, Đức considers those early opportunities invaluable in helping him build practical knowledge, professional confidence, and a clear understanding of the industry before graduation.
Through each experience, he developed essential competencies in customer service, team collaboration, operational management, and working effectively under pressure—skills that remain valuable across a wide range of service businesses.
After graduating, Đức has continued to expand his professional journey through several distinctive roles, including:
- Assistant Restaurant Manager at ZAO – Vietnamese Rooted Eatery, a restaurant recognized in the Michelin Selected 2026 guide.
- Founder of Waiz Travel.
- Co-founder of Choco Wedding.
Although these roles span different sectors, they share common demands: understanding customer needs, coordinating operations, managing teams, and delivering meaningful service experiences.
His career demonstrates one of the greatest strengths of FTU’s Hotel Management program. Rather than preparing graduates for a single predefined occupation, the program equips students with transferable competencies that enable them to pursue diverse opportunities across the broader hospitality and service industries.
Reflecting on his journey, Đức believes choosing Hotel Management at FTU was one of the most important decisions he has made.
Ultimately, the greatest value of the FTU High-Quality Hotel Management Program lies not only in preparing students for specific positions, but in equipping them with the knowledge, adaptability, and professional capabilities to build successful careers and create opportunities for themselves in an increasingly dynamic global service industry.