---
title: "Finding a Career in Hospitality: Cruz’s Story"
description: Meet Cruz, guest service agent at Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, and discover his journey into the Calgary hospitality industry.
image: https://www.calgaryhotelassociation.com/hubfs/Cruz%20(1).png
---

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Members Home\>Finding a Career in Hospitality: Cruz’s Story

# Finding a Career in Hospitality: Cruz’s Story

[Author: Calgary Hotel Association](https://www.calgaryhotelassociation.com/calgary-hotel-association-blog/author/calgary-hotel-association) |  Date: OCTOBER 5, 2026

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Cruz thought he was getting a summer job. Instead, he found the career he was meant to pursue.

Last spring, Cruz started his first job in hospitality as a server at Redwood Meadows Golf Course. He had never worked in the industry before, but within a month, something clicked. Cruz realized he genuinely enjoyed being around people, creating experiences and being part of a team.

For Cruz, hospitality didn’t feel like work. It felt natural. A huge part of that realization was inspired by his mentor, Hans, the operations manager at the clubhouse. Throughout the summer, they had countless conversations about hospitality, leadership and Cruz’s future. Hans encouraged Cruz to study hospitality and tourism management at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, which is exactly what he did.

Cruz started his studies last fall as a hospitality student, excited to learn but still unsure of where this path would take him. During his winter practicum, Cruz shadowed different departments at the Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire. For the first time, what he had been learning in the classroom came to life. What stood out most wasn’t the hotel itself. It was the people who showed him the behind-the-scenes work, answered his questions and took the time to teach him. It was the people who made Cruz feel like he already belonged, and that experience changed everything.

At the end of his practicum and school year, Cruz was hired as a guest service agent at the Sheraton Suites: his first official job in the hotel industry and the official beginning of his career in hospitality. Cruz is still a student, still learning and still at the very start of his career journey. For him, that’s what makes it so exciting. Every shift teaches him something new. Every colleague has something to share. Every guest interaction gives him another opportunity to grow.

His experience has also helped him understand what hotels mean to the people who stay in them. They are places where families make memories, people celebrate milestones and visitors experience a city for the first time.

Some of Cruz’s favourite childhood memories are of staying in hotels with his family. Now, when families walk through the doors of Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, he has the opportunity to help create that same feeling for someone else. Sometimes, that means giving a child a sticker or colouring book. Other times, it means having a genuine conversation with a guest or making someone feel welcome after a long day of travelling. In hospitality, it’s often the small things that people remember.

Cruz hopes his story reminds anyone considering studying or pursuing a career in hospitality that they don’t need to have everything figured out before beginning. A summer job introduced him to a mentor, who inspired him to pursue an education. His studies led to a practicum and a team that welcomed him into the hotel industry.

> “I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported me, encouraged me and believed in me along the way,” Cruz shares. “I’m proud to be a hospitality student. I’m proud to be starting my career in hospitality, and I’m excited for everything still ahead. This is only the beginning.”

 

 

 

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