Posted November 6th, 2015 By Yummy Jobs
Luke's Experience in Orlando
Are you interested in making your Summer one to remember? Want to gain experience working with a leading Hospitality brand living in the heart of Orlando, Florida? Then read on for my blog about my adventure participating in the Loews Hotels Program at the Universal Orlando® Resort.
Firstly, let me introduce myself! My names Luke and I’m one of the newest members of the team here at Yummy Jobs. I’ve just graduated from the University of Wolverhampton gaining a First class degree in Marketing Management. During my summer breaks from university I’ve been fortunate enough to have participated in several amazing opportunities in the USA, including working at a children’s summer camp, participating in the Disney Cultural Exchange Program, and being selected for the Loews Hotels at the Universal Orlando® Resort this summer. This is what I want to talk to you about now!
During my program I was positioned as a Lifeguard at the Hard Rock Hotel. This is a great hotel which embodies the soul, spirit and attitude of rock, all set in a lively and fun environment. Here, I got to work around the hotels 12,000 square foot pool which features an impressive underwater sound system complete with a sand beach and boasts live music and entertainment daily. This made my working experience very enjoyable!
As a lifeguard I was responsible for the safety of all the hotels guests in and around the pool area. This was a demanding role, as I needed to make sure I was attentive to everything going on in my area and ensure I was rescue ready at all times. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity however and was surrounded by a great team of people, which made working there so much fun. As a sun enthusiast working outdoors definitely suited me, however remembering to make sure I stayed hydrated throughout my shifts was definitely my biggest challenge!
I would recommend being a lifeguarding at Loews to anyone considering it. The great thing about this role is that you do not already need to hold a current Lifeguard certification. Loews partner with Ellis & Associates and provide all of the training and certify you to become a guard. This took place over three days at the beginning of the summer, and was a great way to make friends with other lifeguards on the program. There are however many other great roles that you can pursue on this program within the four hotels, including Food and Beverage Bussers and Food Runners, Pool Attendants, Resort Door Greeters, and Food and Beverage Attendants.
An area of this program that I really enjoyed was the housing. Here, you get to live in the same housing complex as everyone else on the program, sharing an apartment with one or two other people. This was great as you were in the same building as all of your friends, where there was always someone around to hang out with! The location of the housing was ideal, surrounded by many restaurants, bars and shops. This was very handy for catching up with friends after work! Additionally, it was ideally located for work, where it was within walking distance to the Hard Rock Hotel and Universal Orlando® Resort. During the summer, Yummy Jobs hosted several social events at the housing which was a lot of fun, including a pizza pool party and an ice-cream evening!
There is so much to do in Orlando for fun, you’ll never get bored! On my days off, I used to make the most of my free Universal Studios® and Universal's Islands of Adventure® pass and hit the rides whenever I could. As a thrill seeker, this was something I particularly enjoyed! Working within the resort meant that I could hit the parks before or even after a shift, something I sure did! It was great living so close to the Walt Disney World Resort as well, where I definitely made the most out of my annual pass for that. Shopping in Orlando is great, and the housing complex is situated only a couple of miles away from one of Orlando’s biggest shopping malls. As a beach lover, I was desperate to explore Florida’s award winning beaches whilst I was there. Hiring a car in Florida is so easy, and this is something I did over the summer to explore; Clearwater Beach and Miami were some of my personal highlights.
I truly had an amazing summer participating in the Loews Hotels Program at the Universal Orlando® Resort. Partaking in a cultural exchange program like this definitely developed me as a person, making me more independent, organised, and opened my eyes to the opportunities that are out there. Not only this, but I have made unforgettable memories with lifelong friends from all over the world.
So what are you waiting for? Apply for the Loews Hotels Program at the Universal Orlando® Resort and make your Summer an unforgettable one!
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