On the sidelines of the iNTTA Expo in Cape Coast on Thursday, October 22, Sheila Adjetey‑Anum, Managing Director of Ridge Royal Hotel, urged graduates to be willing to begin their careers in entry‑level positions and build upward through hard work and continuous learning.
Ms Adjetey‑Anum, who has spent roughly twenty years in the hospitality sector, explained that she started as a housekeeping attendant with a degree before advancing to manage several hotels and ultimately becoming the MD of Ridge Royal.
She said the expectation among some graduates to secure managerial roles and high salaries immediately after leaving school was a mindset that needed to change. “Everybody thinks after the degree, I should start with 5,000 (Cedis). I should start as a manager. But what are you bringing to the table?” she asked.
Emphasising that career progression requires a blend of education and work experience, Ms Adjetey‑Anum advised young people to demonstrate their capabilities, exercise patience, manage finances and give themselves time to achieve their ambitions.
“Hard work always pays. They say smart work these days, but also hard work pays,” she added.
The comments came as the iNTTA Expo, themed “From Vision to Transactions,” gathered tourism and hospitality stakeholders to discuss investment opportunities across tourism, hospitality, energy infrastructure, agribusiness and health tourism.
