The first internship is designed so that all students can get hands-on customer service experience in Food & Beverage or Front Office operations. Students will be exposed to real-life work environments in rotational positions throughout different outlets of the property they are placed with.

This internship is about structure and about learning how to do things the right way. It is hard but rewarding work which will lay a solid professional foundation and pave the way for students’ second internship and future careers.

American Hotel Academy has partnered up with Atlantica Hotels & Resorts to deliver this streamlined practical experience. Thus, the best Atlantica properties serve as training sites for our first year students. Here are the main features of this experience:

The duration of the internship is four – five months and the offered compensation is 750€/month in rotational positions in the Food & Beverage or Front Office departments. These are the properties:

Internship 2 builds on the experience gained during Internship 1. The main objective is to deepen the knowledge gained so far by either continuing your career at the same host company or by exploring a new one in a different country with a different specific. Choose your next career move based on the long-term career goals that you have set already at this point in your education.

Internship 2 takes place either:

• within four- and five-star ranked properties selected by the school or secured independently by the student. The positions available are in operational roles in Food & Beverage and Front Office, as well as administrative or back-office roles (Human Resources, Sales, Marketing, Events, Finance, Supply & Logistics), or
• within host companies in related sectors like Events & Entertainment, Retail & Luxury, Aviation, Cruise Lines, Wellness & Spa, or Sports; for students wishing to explore adjacent career paths.

The second internship duration is four-five months between Level 5 and Level 6 (May-September). The school provides tutoring and monitoring as well as the pre-departure orientation.

Compensation from host companies in Europe includes a stipend between EUR 300 – 1,700/month (varies from one country to another), accommodation, and one-three meals per day. See Fees & Earnings section below for more country information and check with the Career Department for specifics about each host company.

The American experience is what YOU make of it. For no other place on earth is the saying ‘you are the master of your own destiny’ truer. Go there with an open mind and with an open heart and you will achieve great things. This country is certainly the best place for this.

This internship is offered in exclusive partnership with Odyssey International Group, the largest internship and trainee J1 visa sponsor organization in the U.S.

Internship 3 builds on the experience gained during Internships 1 and 2. This time, the American Track students will deepen the knowledge gained so far by immersing themselves in hands-on training in the hospitality industry in a unique country like the United States.

Internship 3 takes place at four- and five-star ranked properties, selected by the school and visa sponsor organization. The positions available are in operational roles in Food & Beverage and Front Office. School and visa sponsor also provide support and monitoring before departure, as well as during the whole stay in the U.S.

This internship’s placement process allows for a great deal of flexibility. We keep in mind, as much as possible, each student’s particular context and preferences when looking for a suitable host company. Group placements are also possible, as we know they are important for many of our students. Odyssey International’s philosophy is to “develop sustainable but flexible recruitment and sponsorship systems based on our conviction that one program does not fit all.”

The internship duration is 12 months. Compensation from host companies includes a stipend that usually starts at $2,400/m and goes as high as $4,000/m, with benefits such as accommodation and meals on duty included as per each company’s policy. See the Fees & Earnings section below for more country information and check with the Career Department for specifics about each host company.

Upon successful completion of this internship, students can return for an Advanced Training or Management Trainee Program of an additional 12 months (usually within the same host company). For more information, please contact a Career Department representative.

Optional Employment is an additional service AHA provides to all graduates and it mainly entails customized job searching within our vast global network of employers.

Start dates are available throughout the year, and students can usually choose between regular full-time employment or management trainee programs. Destinations available include Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and even Australia.

For more information on how you can benefit from this service, please contact a Career Department representative.