If you like working with and helping people, then working in the hospitality industry could be a good fit for you. The industry is a wide-open field with jobs in hotels, restaurants, clubs, or coffee shops. Although you can find jobs within the industry without having credentials, by taking hospitality classes you could work in management or in an executive position within the industry.
Areas of Study
The type of courses you study for a career in the hospitality industry will depend on the area in which you wish to work. Many universities offer specific degrees in resort and hotel management so if you wish to manage a hotel or work at an executive level for a hotel chain, you would learn what you needed to know to do so. Schools offering hospitality courses may offer diplomas only requiring a year of study but universities offer degrees in hospitality which may take three or four years of full-time study to complete.
As well as hotel management, a tourism management degree is offered at many schools as well. Tourism is important for many countries as it is one of their main industries. In Australia alone, tourism accounts for over $50 billion per year and it’s predicted to be worth between $115 billion to $140 billion by 2020.
Diplomas or degrees in hospitality may lead to careers as hotel managers, event managers, catering managers, food safety supervisors, kitchen managers, or restaurant managers.
If you would rather work on the front lines in a business, you could study the culinary arts or kitchen operations and advanced food preparation techniques to become a sous or executive chef. You could also learn how to become a bartender and learn how to manage a bar for a hotel or restaurant or open your own business. A diploma or degree in hospitality could take your career in many different directions.
Where to Find Courses
There are many public and private institutions offering diplomas and degrees in hospitality so you should be able to find a program near you. There are also some institutions offering online diplomas or degrees in hospitality management so if you have a busy work and family life, you can study when you have time at home. While a degree isn’t always necessary within the industry, it will help you get further in your chosen career.
A management degree often includes studying business techniques, promotions, finance, and other information a good manager would need to know about running hotels, restaurants, and other businesses within the hospitality industry. A degree will also allow you to take positions in other countries within a hotel chain or another international hospitality business if you wanted to travel in your career.
The hospitality industry is an important part of most cities’ and countries’ tourism industries because you may work with customers and companies from all over the world in your career. If working with people and managing companies within the hospitality industry sounds like something you would like to do, research available programs available offered near you.