How Suzanne found a home in the tourism industry

Whether you’re looking to connect with people, rekindle your sense of adventure or be at the centre of the action, a career in tourism will take you anywhere you want to go.

For Suzanne Lahr, working as an Event Coordinator for RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg means something new every day. Meeting upwards of 25,000 people and managing up to 200 events a year, she’s used to a fast-paced environment where things can change quickly. She uses the skills she learned at Red River College Polytechnic’s Hotel and Restaurant Administration program to help her adapt to each new challenge.

There's barely a day that goes by that I don't think about something that I learned in my program,” she says. “Everything was so hands-on there. We met so many mentors and people in the industry — people that I still work with.

It was through co-op internships that Suzanne gained on-the-job skills as a junior hotel manager, learning all the operations from the front desk to the restaurant to the bar and beer store. It was an invaluable opportunity to learn firsthand how all the moving parts fit together while keeping the big picture in focus. It helped her develop the ability to make critical and strategic decisions, while considering multiple perspectives.

“Working in the tourism industry and my role specifically suits me well because I love the problem-solving,” says Suzanne. “I love looking at events as puzzles or as projects that I get to solve.”

The people she works with are also a huge draw for Suzanne. The constantly evolving nature of the job attracts people who are creative, fun and maybe even a little ‘scatterbrained’.

Every day looks different in my role. It's exciting. It's an adventure. You have to love your job to deal with the constant change.

She recommends a career in tourism to anyone looking for work that’s flexible and full of adventure and says Red River College Polytechnic’s Hotel and Restaurant Administration program is a great head start.

“The amount of practical knowledge and contacts and experiences that I got through the college that I would've never had access to prior to entering this industry was invaluable,” she says. “Because of the program and the training that I have, the skills that I learned are transferrable all across Canada.”

However, it hasn’t been hard for Suzanne to stay in Manitoba. The people she’s met through her education and career have helped her stay and thrive in the career she loves.

We learned how to create a home away from home — that is what hospitality is.

Learn more about tourism education programs here or watch the video below.