Interview by Pratyasha

LCBS

Mr. Akshay Gupta is currently working as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Luxury Connect Business School. He has completed an International Bachelor's Degree in Luxury Hospitality Management followed by an Executive MBA in Luxury Brand Management. Having a rich global experience in the hospitality industry, Mr. Gupta is responsible for all the operations at Luxury Connect and Luxury Connect Business School (LCBS).

In an exclusive interview with Collegedunia.com, Mr. Akshay talks about his experience in the education industry and challenges faced by them.

Reasons that keep Mr. Gupta connected to the education industry

I entered the education industry with the renowned Laureate Education Group, Les Roches, Glion & Kendall in India. My small stint with Laureate Education, derived my interest in Education sector. Currently, the luxury industry is facing lot of challenges but is still growing at a good pace of 20% per annum. But, the manpower is not efficient enough to keep up with the required standards.

So, the main reason that I am connected with the industry is that I want the present youth to upgrade themselves and give their best to the society. Here at Luxury Connect Business School, our main focus is to bridge up the gaps that other educational institutes have. We are devoted to create talented professionals to help the industry grow at a much higher rate. 

It's a huge responsibility and takes lot of courage to start something from scratch. The hard work isn't only limited to establishing the school but also spreading awareness about the new endeavour we undertook. Luxury industry is just at a budding stage in India and people are not aware that there are full fledged career opportunities available in this dynamic sector.

A strong believer of flat hierarchical structure

As a leader, I make sure to involve every individual associated with us, in a given task, at the time of decision making. My style is to treat or consider everybody at the same level. There should be a flat hierarchy. I believe in working together and taking everyone along with me towards a defined goal. 

When we work together as a team, we are able to achieve the unachievable.

Read about LCBS Courses & Fee

Curriculum standard at Luxury Connect Business School

The greatest strength of our syllabi is that it is designed by experienced faculty and various industry experts. We believe in delivering practical knowledge rather than just theory. This helps the student to understand and deal the real-world challenges that they will be facing in the coming future. It prepares and enhances their personality which makes them leave a mark in the industry. 

A zero-tolerance zone for any racism 

In here, we believe every student is equal. Every student is welcomed here, no matter from which country, zone or background they are from. All we care about while selecting a student is that if they have the required skill-sets or not. We want to make them strong and gain enough expertise within 16 months so that they can enter the work life full prepared. 

Managing and monitoring the B-school from the scratch

My roles and responsibilities towards the college are holistic in nature. From counselling, finances, academics to managing everything to maintain the smooth functioning of the college. If I talk about counselling, my major role is to counsel students and explain them about the Luxury Industry. Most of them have pre-determined notion, that this field has lot of glamour and is easy moving, but in reality, it is not true. There are a lot of challenges and hardships that one has to face like any other industry. So, my main role is to explain them about the pros and cons of the same.

Click here LCBS Placement

Methods opted to maintain a relationship with the students

All the students in here are welcomed to sit with me and talk about anything. My doors for them are always open, and I leave this decision to them on how they want to communicate with me. I make sure that I listen to them and understand them without having preconceived notions about anything. 

Strict yet liberal- An ideal school environment

Being a B-School, it is necessary to maintain a professional environment as per industry demands. We, at Luxury Connect Business School, follow the policies of the luxury industry. Doing so prepares a student for real-world challenges adhering to the policies of the industry. The students are not allowed to enter the class if they are not professionally dressed. In terms of attendance, we are very strict and encourage students to attend classes regularly. We train and groom them physically as well as mentally to become a perfect fit for the industry. 

Golden words of advice for young aspirants

With the changing times, the students should start thinking out of the box and not follow the rat race. The world is a wonderland now, each individual should be curious to learn more, value the given time in hands, never stop learning and always face challenges or problems with a positive attitude. The economy is continuously evolving it has changed its pace. It's necessary to keep up with it.