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Overcoming adversity and advocating for the disabled
Rashaad Sayeed is a learner in the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at RRU. |
When Rashaad Sayeed was a little boy on a trip to Saskatoon walking by the majestic Bessborough hotel, he asked his Dad, “How much would it cost to buy it?”
That was the first inkling his family got that their son was interested in the hospitality business.
Now 27, Sayeed’s ambition hasn’t changed – he’d ultimately like to own his own hotel. And he is well on his way to achieving his goal, despite an intellectual disability that makes it hard for him to process information. And along the way, he also became a spokesperson for the Alberta Association for Community Living, giving speeches across the country and overseas to Rotarians and business audiences.
It’s hard to believe now that when Sayeed was young, many professionals told his parents that he would not be able to walk or talk and the best place to put him was in a mental institution.
“Obviously that is not the case now and they were wrong,” Sayeed says. “All my life I have overcome challenges and obstacles put in front of me. I have opened the door to the opportunities ahead.”
Sayeed grew up in Lloydminster, AB until he was 20, when he attended Red Deer College’s Hospitality and Tourism program. After that, he worked for the Fantasyland Hotel reservation department for two and a half years.
He got that job when then GM Peter Parmar attended a Rotary Club presentation on hiring people with disabilities, where the speaker used Sayeed’s experiences as positive examples of what could be done. By the end of the presentation, Parmar stood up and said, “I’ll take him on.” That was how Sayeed got his job at the Fantasyland.
“At the Fantasyland Hotel, I felt valued for who I was and what I can do for the hotel and in return my colleagues valued me for who I was,” Sayeed says.
Realizing that he needed further education to advance in the hotel industry, Sayeed enrolled in the BA in International Hotel Management program at Royal Roads University.
“[Rashaad] is learning disabled but incredibly passionate about this industry,” says Ted Wykes, faculty member at Royal Roads School of Tourism and Hotel Managment. “His disability is such that I suspect a lot of hotels have overlooked his potential and passion. Despite his limitations, he has been able to complete a diploma in hospitality management and will be graduating this year with a BA in International Hotel Management from RRU.”
Through Glen Merx, the recruiter from the Fairmont Empress Hotel, Sayeed was able to secure a position at that hotel. “I think that it was Glen’s enthusiasm for his own role in the lodging industry and recognition of Rashaad’s potential that has facilitated this connection,” adds Wykes.
“Rashaad is a very capable young man who has spoken at national and international conferences (including UN sponsored events) about giving people like him a chance and also encouraging others like him to persevere.”
At press time, Sayeed had a couple of months of school remaining, and he was working part time at the Fairmont Empress hotel in preparation for a summer internship there. “I started early to get my feet in the door,” he said.
He’s working as a houseman, making sure all the public areas are clean, delivering laundry and running errands for guests. “I started training last week,” he told CLN in an interview. “It’s going well, though it’s a big place and I get lost easily! But people are friendly and ready to help out.”
“I like working with people and travelling, and at the same time learning how to manage a hotel. It’s the second biggest industry in the world! Royal Roads has helped me gain knowledge and experience I need to go forward. From here, I will use my skills to become a manager.
“When I had to decide on an internship, I was keen to go overseas. I thought that if I started early with a company in Canada, I could go places with the company. That was the big reason why I chose the Fairmont.”
Reprinted, with permission, from Canadian Lodging News