At Windsor, Ontario’s St. Clair College, the tourism & travel program is shaping the leaders of tomorrow’s tourism and hospitality industry. 

Stephanie Middleton, professor and program coordinator, teaches a leadership class to connect with students about real-world leadership experiences and the impact individuals can have within their teams and communities.

Says Middleton, “In our leadership class we are learning about many different aspects of leadership. We reflect on our own leadership styles and the impact various types of leaders have on their business and teams, learn how to set goals for future roles, share life experiences and have fun with team building activities.” 

She continues, “Open discussion has been the best part of this class. It makes the students think and apply skills learned in class to real-life scenarios. It was interesting to task them with choosing leaders who inspire them and sharing qualities that made those leaders successful. Historical leaders, contemporary leaders, coaches and instructors have all had an impact on students.” 

Students will be able to take the lessons and insights they learned in class into future roles, which will have a positive impact not only on their workplaces and colleagues but also on tourism products and customer experience. 

And while St. Clair College prepares its students to join the workforce, Middleton says, “The reality is that they are not likely to start their careers in a leadership role. It’s important for them to have an understanding of what leadership is, how they can adapt to different types of leaders and how to use those experiences to learn and become the leader they want to be in the future.”