The Hospitality Industry is very large and diverse - with people who have succeeded by pursuing many different career paths. And when it comes to education and training, there are many, many choices:
- Degree programs (2 and 4-year degrees) offered by colleges and universities - full time, part-time or even online courses
- Vocational courses and apprenticeship programs offered through technical schools, Industry associations and trade unions
- Industry-sponsored seminars or short certificate programs aimed at delivering specific skills or specialized knowledge
- Custom training programs developed by individual companies to meet their specific internal requirements
- On-the-job training, which occurs almost everywhere, delivered by more experienced employees or managers, often informally
And, of course, for the do-it-yourself-ers, there is always the school of hard knocks...
So what is the "right" answer? Well, that really depends on your specific objective...
The beauty of this industry is that it offers so many ways to get to your dream job. You really can mix and match the education and training options in a way that works for you, and builds on your interests and talents. There are careers for those in marketing, communications, management, IT, finance, and many other programs outside the traditional "Hospitality" fields related to hotels, restaurants, travel, tourism, etc. More and more, however, the higher you get in the organization, the more you will be expected to have earned a degree of some kind.
Click on the "Industry Associations" link within "Dig Deeper" to learn more about the training opportunities these associations provide, or use the links above to learn more. |