WORKING IN THE tourism sector is certainly a calling. Being a people person is a must, attention to detail is key, and a passion for developing strong relationships with others is paramount. Matthew Woods works as a purchasing assistant for the Sheraton Athlone Hotel. He started his role through a work placement with the National Learning Network, an organisation which offers flexible training courses and support services for people with disabilities or those who require additional support in accessing the workforce. Although an early passion for art and computers while at school saw a potential career in IT on the cards – a lack of love for maths saw him go down a different path.

Having won a core value award for excellence as well as employee of the month which culminated in an employee of the year accolade while at the Sheraton, it seems Matthew certainly chose the right route with tourism. We caught up with him to find out more about his typical day in the tourism sector and what career advice he would have for others:

What’s your job now and what does a typical day look like for you?

I’m a purchasing assistant at the Sheraton Athlone Hotel. The purchasing department is responsible for keeping the hotel stocked with all goods whether it be food and beverage, maintenance supplies, crockery, chemicals, basically everything that the hotel needs to run – it comes in our door. I look after the stock rooms, forecasting what is needed so that we can order what is needed. Then I look after deliveries, checking that everything is intact. I get to meet various suppliers every day which are nice interactions. I’ve built up good relationships with them over time which is important to the hotel as they will never see the hotel in need. I also liaise with managers in the hotel daily supplying them with what they need. 

What kind of education/training did you undergo for your current position?

I started in the purchasing department on work experience through the National Learning Network, an organisation which offers flexible training courses and support services for people who will benefit from specialist support. I first did induction which is a great introduction to the hotel (and Hodson Bay Hotel Group which Sheraton is part of). Then I underwent departmental induction which is more job specific. Our department is small with myself and the purchasing manager so I’m lucky to be able to receive a lot of on-the-job training. Manual handling is very important in my role too, so I received that training. Sheraton is part of Marriott International so there is a development platform available to us to tailor my learning.  

What skills do you possess that make you a right fit for the job you’re in?

As I mentioned earlier, I interact with a lot of people on a daily basis so, interpersonal skills are very important. When I started I was quite shy but as I became more confident in the role, and with the support of my colleagues, I’ve found that my interpersonal skills are much stronger now. Organisational skills are also very important in our department with a lot of products coming into the hotel and up through the departments. Being flexible is very important too as we operate in a fast-paced environment. 

What excites you most about the work you do?

In one word ‘people’. I’m quite introverted but in tourism and hospitality you meet so many engaging characters that it brings you out of your shell. From senior managers in the hotel to my colleagues I’ve built up some very strong, trusted relationships. Our hotel has a respect-based culture, and we all wear an R badge to symbolise this. One of the pillars of respect is respect for our colleagues and I certainly see this in action every day. 

If you could give others one piece of career advice what would it be? 

If I think back to how I started in my role, it took courage and a ‘give it a go attitude’. I attended a career fair and ended up getting some work experience. From there I got a full time role and haven’t looked back since. I was honoured to be chosen as Sheraton Athlone Hotel, Associate of the Year last year so I’m very glad that I ‘gave it a go’ and went to that careers fair. 

If you want to find out more about building stronger and more inclusive workplaces, check out Fáilte Ireland’s Recruitment Toolkit.  

To discover exciting career opportunities and inclusive education courses in tourism, visit tourismcareers.ie.