Each month, our Youth President writes about the industry our students are about to inherit. This is Youth Voice. Matteo Bugelli begins — on shaping the sector rather than simply entering it.

"When I put my name forward for Youth President in Riga, it was not to collect a title or to represent an abstract student body on paper. It came from sitting in kitchens, classrooms and hotel spaces across Europe, watching brilliant young hoteliers pour everything into an industry that is still learning how to look after them. I ran because our generation should not simply be entering the sector: we should be helping to shape its future.

This year is not about top-down speeches or polished corporate summaries. I want this term to keep the real student experience at the front of the conversation. Whether we are discussing wellbeing, operational pressures or destination design, the discussion should start with what is actually happening in our schools and in our workplaces.

The articles in this series come from conversations I have had with students across the network: in classrooms, in kitchens, and in the corridors of our events. They are not conclusions. They are a starting point, and I hope they are recognisable to anyone who has worked a shift this year."

Do you see it the same way?
Youth Voice returns next month. ... See MoreSee Less