Hospitality and tourism have many different job levels, each with their own way of getting in.

It's also important to remember that 'soft skills' are just as important as qualifications.  You'll need excellent customer services skills, a friendly, helpful nature and be able to stay calm in many different situations.

For details on training options to get jobs in the sector, choose from:

 

Apprenticeships

Combining training and work experience to gain a nationally recognised qualification. For more information on apprenticeships, visit our FAQ section.

 

BTEC Higher National

HNC/D programmes are designed to encourage academic growth:

The first year focuses on technical skills - important in this practical, hands-on industry.  The second year focuses on increasing responsibility, and what you will face as a manager with your staff and your business.

General units within this framework include:

• Marketing
• Financial accounting
• Management accounting
• Food hygiene
• Control systems

Specialist units ensure that you develop the knowledge and skills you require to work within your chosen career:

• Front office
• Accommodation Servicing
• Food production
• Hot kitchen, cold kitchen, sweets and desserts, pastry
• Training skills
• Food and beverage
• Human resources
• Retail travel
• Tourism planning and development

Entry to a degree programme is possible at second or third level.

Degree programmes tend to be more specific and place you straight into middle management within a national or international group.

Graduate Entry

The hospitality industry (loosely defined as hotels and numerous leisure and catering operations of different kinds) accounting for 70% of employment in the wider tourism industry offers great opportunities for truly international management careers.

These excellent job prospects are reflected in the demand for graduates.

For example, the Colchester Institute, like many of the UK's other established providers in hospitality management education, consistently achieve one hundred percent graduate employment.

What interests many prospective students is the range of management jobs available.

For example, in addition to operational management, graduates can pursue careers in such areas as personnel, marketing, sales, finance, training, facilities management, conference management and purchasing.  Also, career progression is often rapid, with companies offering very good financial and development packages in recognition that there is a major shortage of well qualified management graduates for what is one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries.

In order to succeed it is useful to possess good interpersonal skills, and promotion will often go to those that take on extra responsibility, and work well under pressure.

In some sectors managers need to cope with working unsocial hours.

The variety of opportunity means that most managers find they are spoilt for choice.

Tips on Choosing a Course

There are a large number of centres offering Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and degrees in hospitality management.  Learners should try to get an idea from the college or university as to the number of years it has been running hospitality higher education programmes.

For example, established centres, because of their long experience in the field, offer excellent resources and learning opportunities.

Industrial Placements

Many employers are attracted to graduates that have gained work experience whilst on their course. Established colleges and universities will normally arrange these placements for you, but the level of support varies, and it is worth asking some questions about this.

The range of placements is also an important consideration.

For example, the Colchester Institute, provide a complete package where you can choose from a range of establishments throughout the USA, continental Europe and the UK. This particular package includes finding a mutually acceptable placement, arranging accommodation and negotiating the salary.

Choice of Programme

HND programmes are often two or three years in duration, and include a six month work experience placement.

A degree will take up to four years and require you to spend 1 year at work.

It is important to establish with the centre that you can progress easily from the HND to the degree.

Programmes are often developed to allow students to choose a particular specialism to study in addition to the hospitality core.

Specialism pathways include such areas as: Leisure, Conference Management, Marketing, Facilities Management, Business Studies, Tourism and Human Resource Management.

If deciding on a career in hospitality management, you can be assured of an interesting career with excellent opportunities for advancement.

(Information taken from article by: Barrie Mills, Head of School of Hospitality & Service Industry Studies, Colchester Institute.)

For details of training and careers in hospitality and tourism, visit Instudy.

To find a local training course visit the FAQ section.

For tourism training courses in the south east visit Tourism Training in the South East