The newly-elected board of the IFTM Alumni Association is on a mission: making up for time lost to COVID-19. The busy schedule in coming months means fresh opportunities for Institute graduates to reconnect, network, and support their alma mater
A new leadership is in place at the IFTM Alumni Association (IFTMA). The freshly-elected members of the board were sworn in for a 3-year term on 13 October.
IFTMA was established in April 2003 as a local non-profit organisation serving as a bridge between IFTM alumni and their alma mater. Most of its activities had been suspended over the past 3 years due to COVID-19 restrictions. Now, “our mission is to reconnect our alumni,” says incoming general-assembly president, Ms. Wini Cheong Sam I.
Ms. Cheong graduated from IFTM in 2011 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Business Management. This will be her third time in an IFTMA leadership role. Previously, she headed the association’s executive committee, and then she was vice-president of the general assembly. “I am happy to contribute,” she says.
The new board is diverse, with members drawn from a variety of graduation years. The most senior is from the class of 1997, but there are also fresh graduates. The logic is simple: to mix the industry experience of senior alumni with the creativity and energy of the post-millennial generation.
Ms. Cheong represents the association on the IFTM Council, the body overseeing the development of the Institute. The Council has representatives from IFTM, the Macao SAR Government, the IFTM student body, IFTM alumni, and the wider Macao community, including from the tourism and hospitality industry.
“I hope to secure more job and internship opportunities in the industry through my 2 roles, as well as bring more up-to-date information related to the tourism sector to the alumni,” says Ms. Cheong.
Mr. James Sun Ka Meng is the new chairman of the IFTMA executive committee. He graduated from the Institute in 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Business Management. He has also previously been involved in the association’s management bodies.
“IFTM has long been working on providing professional training to the tourism and hospitality industry, and IFTMA is therefore ready to help in letting more young people know about, and how to join, the Institute,” Mr. Sun explains. He adds that another role of IFTMA is to support fresh graduates in finding good job opportunities.
He points to the importance of creating a platform for alumni from different intakes so they can meet and network. Those who graduated more than a decade ago might now be in senior positions in local integrated resorts, and so “can provide solid information on the industry” to younger alumni.
This year saw the launch of a Guangdong chapter of IFTMA, as many graduates from the Institute are now working in the neighbouring province. “We also hope these alumni can share news related to IFTM with those around them,” says Mr. Sun.
Mr. Wilson Lok Kuok Wai is one of the ‘freshers’ in the board of IFTMA. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism Event Management in 2018. “The COVID-19 pandemic broke out soon after I got settled in my job, so I did not have the chance to join many alumni activities,” he recalls. “We will now try to get the alumni together again, and let more people know about the IFTM brand.”
As secretary-general of the association, Mr. Lok says he will spare no effort in trying to bring alumni closer to each other. He adds that IFTM has pledged to provide the association with an office at the Mong-Há Campus. “This will definitely help us build stronger connections within the alumni community.”
