Most people outside the hospitality industry assume that jobs and careers in this service sector are easy to get and perform. But the reality is far more complex and most positions need a lot of training, hard work, experience and people skills. From hotel maids and wait staff to general managers and chefs, everyone needs to have an innate ability to anticipate and give customers what they want.
But let's take a few steps back to the education and qualifications required. There's a wide network of schools, colleges and universities supporting the industry. Aspirants for executive level positions can sign up for a hospitality management degree. It could be an Associate or Bachelor's Degree, and the candidate would be able to apply for high-paying jobs at brand name hotel groups and companies right after getting the degree.
Those who want to work in restaurants and hotel kitchens need to go to a culinary institution. This will be more of a hands-on education which polishes the skills and talent of prospective and future chefs and kitchen assistants. Note that chefs rank near the top in the hotel hierarchy, right behind the general managers of the hotel and the restaurant.
At the staff level, the hundreds of workers who keep the hotel operational need more experience than education. At the entry level, many are temporary or seasonal jobs that pay weekly and have no benefits. But employment is plentiful and the wages are good.
Anyone willing to work hard has a good chance of being made permanent with all the attendant benefits. Also note that many of the top executives in the hospitality industry today have worked their way up from the bottom. Regardless of their current position or education, everyone has the opportunity to grab hold of a long-term career in hospitality. Read more...