4.2 Recommendations

1. Languages should be incorporated as one of the core elements within all Hospitality Management courses, and not just offered as an optional unit. Students who graduate without having taken a language are already at a disadvantage if they have competitive career aspirations in the Hospitality Industry. This is especially true where large hotel operators are concerned with businesses all over the world. E.g. If a promotional opportunity arose in France an employee who has French as a second language is already in a stronger position than the employee who only has English.
2. It would be beneficial for more co-ordination between Universities and colleges to give prospective students the best choice of Colleges/ University relative to their career aspirations and to be able to easily compare course content in its simplest form. This will perhaps emerge soon with ongoing development of internet communications.

 

3. Better lines of communication and understanding between education and training establishments and the Hospitality Industry need to be established. This has become even more evident in Northern Ireland where top chefs have stated recently that the current standards of qualified chefs is short of what the Hospitality Industry needs.
4. Placement / Practical experience needs to be either extended or used as a prerequisite before prospective students can be considered for Hospitality Management courses. This would help graduates to have better practical experience and be at a level of practical competence equivalent to persons who have left school at 16/ 17 and worked in the industry for a number of years.

 

 

5. Many people see the Hospitality industry in a bad light in relation to long unsociable hours and bad rates of pay. Businesses within the industry have to now promote the Hospitality industry, as a sector where an attractive career can be attained.