If you are studying hospitality management, more career opportunities are now available to you than ever before, says Susina Jooste, the Director of The Private Hotel School. This is because corporates are increasingly recruiting hospitality graduates for management positions.
“Due to an increase in expectations regarding what constitutes good customer service on the part of the general public, companies look for those leaders who have a track record of being able to fulfil the needs and demands of their customers, and a hospitality management background is emerging as a qualification that encapsulates the diverse range of skills required to do so,” explains Jooste.
She adds that the hospitality management graduates have many transferable skills, which include their ability to manage both customers and crises.
New career opportunities for these graduates include client relationship managers at banks, key account managers at large corporate companies, real estate company principals, training and development, customer service, business development and PR managers, and facilities managers at private hospitals, to name a few.
Jooste adds that it is crucial that the hospitality and tourism training institutions continuously review their curricula to accommodate the shifting demands of the industry. She says, “The demands of a dynamic industry necessitate the development of integrated competencies that draw on various disciplines, including management, entrepreneurship and innovation, finance, law and legislation, and leadership development.”
She adds that a good example of this is the wellness trend, which should be added to the hospitality curriculum, and should focus on issues such as health and wellness, nutrition, resorts, retreats and spas as additional services to enhance the guest experience.
