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Curriculum Components

The Statler Center offers a ten and a half week training program for blind, visually impaired, and/or physically disabled individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in the hospitality, customer service, and contact center industries. The Statler Center’s curriculum was developed in conjunction with Johnson and Wales University’s Charleston, South Carolina campus, a premier hospitality college. 
 
The first half week of the program provides a general orientation to both the Statler Center and the hospitality industry. An important part of this portion of class consists of bringing in business and industry experts to talk about what employment within the industry entails. In addition, Statler Center consultant Dan O’Brien (who also is a consultant with the New York State Travel and Tourism Bureau) lectures on the industry as a whole, addressing current events, employment trends, employment possibilities, job descriptions and duties, etc. Students also participate in activities that develop class cohesiveness, are oriented to the building and surrounding restaurants and facilities, are given a back of the house tour of a large hotel/motel in the Western New York area, and receive an overview of what the following weeks of program time will entail.
 
Classes meet Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm. Once accepted into the program, students are expected not to miss any more than three full days during the ten and a half weeks, and are asked to dress in accordance with the Statler Center’s dress code of business casual attire.
 

APPLIED BUSINESS MATH
A general review of important math concepts and principles students are likely to use within the hospitality industry. Work in areas such as price mark-ups/mark downs, percentages, calculations of room rates based on supply and demand, decimals, and other areas are discussed.


WRITTEN AND ORAL COMMUNICATION
These courses instruct students about proper communication skills. In Written Communications students get an update on: correct grammar, punctuation, mechanics and other writing basics. The focus then shifts to business writing skills such as: appropriate format and content for letters, memorandums, proposals, reports, and employment documents. 

 

The focus of the Oral Communications curriculum is public speaking and interviewing, so our students will learn to speak confidently and effectively.


COMPUTER TRAINING
Our computer training is multi-faceted. We instruct students on many important aspects of state-of-the-art, industry-specific computer skills. These include critical elements of the Microsoft Office suite including Word, Excel, Outlook and Internet Explorere. Students learn word processing and spreadsheet manipulation, formatting, email and internet research skills.

 

Students are also trained on any adaptive equipment they may need to utilize to interface with the computer successfully. Examples of adaptive equipment are: voice activation software for the blind, Braille keyboards and magnified computer screens.

 

We also provide training on hotel property management software systems, which manage an entire hotel from reservations to inventory, room rates, etc. Knowledge of these systems increase students’ marketability and gives them an edge over many hospitality industry applicants who have no experience working with such programs.


HOSPITALITY

Hospitality class focuses on the hospitality operating systems within both smaller and larger corporate properties. Students develop an in-depth knowledge of the organization and structure of these properties, and come to understand how different departments within the properties interact with each other. Another important curriculum component focuses on quality assurance and customer service training, specific to the hospitality industry.


EXTERNSHIP 
Students spend nine days of their final three weeks interning in a hospitality related business or organization, where they recieve hands on experience into what employment within the industry entails. These externships, as the Statler Center calls them, are tailored to meet the individual students’ strengths and interests, and serve to properly prepare students for the realities of the working world. 

 
Examples of our Buffalo externship partners include: 
  • Hyatt Regency
  • Adam’s Mark
  • Greater Buffalo Convention and Visitors Bureau
  • The Buffalo-Niagara Marriott
  • Holiday Inn Buffalo-Downtown
  • Hotel Indigo
  • Candlewood Suites
  • Holiday Inn Lockport
  • Hilton Garden Inn
  • Homewood Suites

 

FRIDAY PRESENTERS

Every Friday consists of business and industry experts discussing important characteristics of their workplace. Studetns also participate in other activities related to job readiness, job seeking and job maintenance skills. Representatives from many different facets of the Hospitality industry present to our students.

 

Topics include:

  • the job search
  • networking
  • conflict management at work
  • realities of the working world
  • how Social Security benefits are affected by choosing to work
  • non-verbal communication and body language
  • time management
  • dressing for success
  • resume and cover letter preparation
  • being employed and disabled
  • mock interviewing workshops