For many people the thought of a career in Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism brings up images of chefs, fitness instructors and overseas reps. These careers fall within the sector, but there is more to consider. The hospitality industry employs 10% of people in the U.K. Long hours, low pay and small rewards is how many people still see the hospitality and catering industry. The truth is more hopeful. There are skills shortages across many areas and employers are looking to recruit high calibre staff. It is a vast business offering diversity and plenty of varied jobs, with career prospects to suit everybody.

What sort of person do you need to be to work in Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism?
You need to like people, and enjoy the challenge of working in a customer-focused environment. You need to be flexible, adaptable, enjoy problem solving and thinking on your feet and to be able to work as part of a team. The hospitality industry affects us every day; grabbing a sandwich for lunch, stopping off for a coffee or drinks with friends, staying at a hotel, going to the cinema, school meals, motor-way service stations�

What about Travel and Tourism?
The variety of this sector is enormous. It's a huge growth sector, valued at approx. �300 billion worldwide. In the last 10 years, international tourism has accounted for 1 in 6 of all jobs, 125,000 tourism businesses exist in the UK, employing 1.75 million people. Travel and Tourism is closely linked with Hospitality and Leisure, all sectors are providing services for their customers. It's a very inter-dependent industry, constantly expanding, which means more jobs and careers!

What's the Best Way Into the Industry and What Qualifications do you need?
Hospitality and Catering, like many other sectors, suffers from skills shortages in certain areas. Undoubtedly, there are a wide range of jobs on offer : Receptionists, Bar, Conference and Banqueting, Event Management, Chefs, Waiters, Sales and Marketing, Housekeeping, Food and Beverage Managers

If a career in Travel and Tourism that interests you, there are too many jobs to mention: Travel Agents, Overseas Reps, Cabin Crew, Marketing for a Tour Operator, Customer Relations, Operations Roles, Cruise Ships and Tourist Information Centres are just a few to consider.

Routes to Qualifications
The catering and hospitality industry has led the way in developing new qualification routes. These mean a wide selection of ways to help develop skills and knowledge, obtaining the qualifications employers want.

There are three main options:

1. Attend a college of university as a full-time student
You need to consider what interests you, how long you wish to study for, and the entry requirements for particular programmes. These range from the motivation and potential to succeed for foundation programmes, to three "A" levels or five SCE Highers for some degree programmes.

2. Join a training programme
Operated by an employer or an organisation that works with employers to provide training, such as HCTC. The programme combines work experience with training on-the-job - by your supervisors and training specialists, and training off the job - at a college or training centre. You will be helped to build up a National or Scottish Vocational Qualification in the subjects and at the NVQ/SVQ levels appropriate to your career (usually a combination of Levels 1, 2 and perhaps, 3).The length of the programme varies from a few months to two years.

3. Go straight into employment
Try to get a job that will provide useful experience for the future, with an employer who offers training or can help you get the support you need.

HCTC Training Programmes
Many HCTC trainees become employees partway through the programme. Some can be put into paid jobs from the start of the programme. Others are already working, and their employer contracts with HCTC to provide the off-the-job training and help in delivering NVQs/SVQs.

If you have a Non-hotel and Catering degree
The Hotel and Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) offers an exceptional entry programme leading to the Professional Diploma, and a number of universities offer a Postgraduate Diploma. These involve one-year of full-time study and a period of industrial experience.
If you are already have experience in the industry, there are four main options:

1. Work towards NVQs/SVQs with your Employer
National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications are open to anyone, of any age or experience and there are no entry requirements. There are four levels: Level 1 (basic skills), Level 2 (craft skills), Level 3 (advanced craft/supervisory skills) and Level 4 (management skills).

2. College Part-time
Your employer may be able to help you attend a local college one day a week, or on a block release basis, when you spend longer intervals at college. Experience is more important than standard academic entry requirements.

3. Full-time College/University Programme
Choose a programme intended for people with experience, and designed to meet your needs as quickly as possible.

4. Distance Learning
HCIMAs (leading to the Professional Certificate/Diploma and NVQs/SVQs Level 3), which includes tutor contact and attendance at seminars, or HCTC's operational management programme for supervisors (leading to an HCTC certificate and NVQs/SVQs Level 3), which combines one-day courses with self-study workbooks.

Career advice on all aspects of the Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism industry can be found at:
www.springboarduk.org
www.hcima.org.uk

Where are the Job Opportunities?
The hospitality industry is growing and changing fast, with so many eating-places that dining out becomes as common as dining in, and an emphasis on customer service.
There are some small but significant trends. Who would have thought a few years ago that we'd be ordering take-away pizza from petrol forecourts, for example? Or having coffee and breakfast in a pub? Or paying to cook our own food in a restaurant? These are just some of the offers coming on-stream, and there are undoubtedly more interesting ones to follow.

The bad news is that the industry still has image problems. The dominant message from recruiters is that the traditional low pay and long hours are becoming outdated. The sheer growth of the industry has meant employers putting together attractive recruitment packages to attract the right staff. For potential managers, prospects can be wonderful. Hospitality has always been an industry in which entrepreneurs can succeed, regardless of qualifications, and employers are now realising this. Many say they want personality and charisma rather than a clutch of qualifications.

Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism might not be everyone's choice. However if you like people, are enthusiastic and want a career that's exciting, challenging and constantly developing - you might just be surprised!



Other Hospitality & Leisure Resources
Hospitality Jobs - Jobs for chefs, restaurant and hotel staff. Find job vacancies from a large number of employers and agencies from across the hospitality and tourism industry throughout England....   
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