Volume XXXII, No. 21 | October 1, 2010

Handshakes, Dialogue, and Table Graces: A Business Etiquette Workshop

Students learn more when they are intensely involved in their education and are provided learning experiences in different settings. Shelton State Community College’s Career Services Center teamed up with other areas of the college and a local restaurant to provide an interactive workshop, which provided business etiquette training in a real-life setting. Handshakes, Dialogue, and Table Graces: A Business Etiquette Workshop for Future Professionals provided an opportunity for currently enrolled students to have a restaurant experience, learn business etiquette, and interact with faculty and staff.
Fourteen students from diverse programs of study—Office Administration, Nursing, Culinary Arts, Business, and Engineering—participated in the event. Prior to the actual workshop, the students participated in an orientation session where they received a brief introduction to etiquette and learned about appropriate dress and conversation. In addition to the orientation session, students had access to handouts and information via the Career Services Center link on the college website.

On the evening of the event, students were greeted as they arrived and divided into five groups; each group was seated at a table with a staff member who served as host. Staff members, representing five different areas of the college, volunteered their time.

As the participants enjoyed a delicious four-course meal, additional instruction about business dining expectations was coupled with hosts’ sharing personal experiences. At the conclusion of the two-hour dinner/workshop, the participants were awarded a Continuing Education Certificate of completion.
Students provided enthusiastic endorsement of the event and expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to practice etiquette skills. The workshop coordinator said, “Experiences like this link educational experiences and expectations in the workforce. The realistic simulation aids retention as it connects education and employment.” Based on the success of this experience, the college plans to schedule other business etiquette workshops in the future.

Fran Turner, Associate Dean for Student Support and Retention
P. Graham Hatcher, Assistant to the President
Deborah Reynolds, Career Advisor, Career Services Center
Mike Fields, Job Placement Coordinator, Career Services Center

For further information, contact the authors at Shelton State Community College, 9500 Old Greensboro Rd., Tuscaloosa, AL 35405.