Friday 28th October was not an ordinary day at work for staff at
INTO Admissions in Brighton. It was their annual teambuilding day -
a rather tasty one, too - replacing the usual mice and keyboards
with Boston cocktail shakers. But this day was not just an excuse
for staff at INTO Admissions to try their hands at the art of
cocktail making (and sipping), however. It was an effort to bring
the work force together; for different departments to mingle, for
new members of staff to integrate themselves and for admissions
staff to have fun - a positive attempt at further increasing office
efficiency and vibe.
As soon as the clock struck noon, staff at INTO Admissions made
their way to the Hilton hotel, Brighton. The Admissions teams were
mixed as they took their seats in the grand dining room for a two
course lunch, a much needed meal before the cocktail shenanigans
began! And when they did begin, they got off to a blast! Two highly
trained bar tenders made cocktail making look as easy as counting
to ten. They demonstrated how to mix a variety cocktails, including
the James Bond favourite, Vodka Martini, but this time stirred, not
shaken.
It was then the turn of Admissions staff to show off their
skills. After splitting into six teams, and choosing appropriate
team names such as 'Drunky Monkey,' individuals took it in turns to
impress the judges and win marks out of five for their sometimes
quite individual concoctions.
A lot of chanting team names, spillages and bottle twisting
later, it was the 'produce your own cocktail' round. This required
a great deal of teamwork as teams were presented with a table of
exotic fruits and too many alcoholic beverages to choose from.
After ten minutes, each team chose a representative to present the
drink, discussing the rationale behind the mixture, why it looked
toxic and named it accordingly. Overall it was two hours of
hilarity, messiness and bonding - with some drinks more pleasing to
the taste buds than others!
The role of INTO Admissions is to see students through from
submitting their application to enrolling at an INTO centre.
Teamwork is vital in ensuring that Admissions offer their agents
and students a fast service, making prompt academic assessments,
offering sound advice and direction, dealing with student finances
and making sure students are prepared for their arrival in the UK.
It is necessary, for example, that those who work in the finance
teams have close working relationships with admissions advisors,
since they both deal with vital steps in the application
process.
"It was a really fun and enjoyable teambuilding afternoon," said
Matt Collins, Head of Admissions. "It brought together staff who,
whilst working in the same office, do not normally get much of a
chance to interact, and it has really helped to bring the whole
office together as a closer community."