Craft-based learningfor real worldsuccess in hospitalitySonia Tatar argues craft based educationis key to delivering graduates capableof fast-track success

SONIA TATAR OPINION

THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY hasbeen experiencing remarkable growthand today ranks as the second-largestemployer in the world. Recent researchdone byHVS shows that the top-tenleading hotel groups have addedapproximately 770,000 rooms to theirtotal inventory since 2010. Brand leaders,such as Accor with its 4,111 hotels and145,000 employees, maintain a strongpresence across the globe. Travelodge,the UK's fastest-growing hotel company,recently announced plans to open 41hotels, creating 1,000 new jobs. The AsiaPacific region provides leading hotelchains with significant opportunitiesfor expansion.HOTREC – an association representing

Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés in Europe– reports that the hospitality sectorcurrently employs 9.5million people,which represents 4.4 percent of the totalemployment in Europe and eightpercent of all enterprises in theEuropeanmarket. This shows thestrong employment impact withinthe hospitality.A recent study published on“London

Hotels Insight” reinforces the argumentthat the hospitality sector is veryattractive to graduates. The number ofavailable positions for young people isincreasing. And the hospitality sectoroffers graduates the opportunity to stepinto challenging, highly responsible jobsimmediately. This contrasts with othersectors in whichmany recent graduatesreport that they are not satisfied withtheir first jobs that have a low level ofresponsibility.All of this presents a tremendous

opportunity for hospitality educators toprovide students who are professionallyprepared and fully capable ofmaking an

immediate impact on the successfuloperation of a hospitality organisation.To respond to such an increasing

demand for professional graduates,schoolsmust give students the experttraining and preparation they need tobe qualified to succeed in fast-trackpositions at growing hospitalitycompanies. Combining theoreticalclassroom studies with practical,craft-based instruction and internshipsrepresents themost effective approachto preparing students for professional

growth. This gives them an invaluableopportunity to put classroom learninginto practice and to better understandhow academic theory is affected bythe potential and limitations ofoperational realities.It is very important that a craft based

instruction programmes be as relevantand current as possible. At Les Roches,we ensure that our curriculum andinstruction reflects the latest trends inthe industry by relying on a panel ofexpert advisors and alumni. The panelis comprised of senior executives anddecision-makers from such industry-

leading hospitality companies as FourSeasons, InterContinental, HyattInternational and others.Employers today look first and

most favourably at graduates whohave received a practical, craft-basedhospitality education. Similarly, studentswho are serious about pursuing ahospitality career aremost interested inschools that offer the real-world trainingand internships that will give them acompetitive edge in themarketplace.Equally important, practical, real-worldinstruction helps students refine theirinterpersonal relationship andcommunication skills, their creativity,their work ethic, and teamwork.Without a doubt, hospitality school

graduates who arewell rounded and havebeen highly trained in the real world arethosewho aremost in demand. Considerthe example of EvangelineHayco’ssuccess story, who just twomonths aftergraduating fromLes Roches, started hercareer as a generalmanager ofHenrietta'sTable Restaurant, atTheCharlesHotel in Boston.Students who have received hands-on

practical training as part of theirschooling are ahead of the game, as theyenter the fast-paced and ever-changinghospitality industry. They are primed tocreate an impact in a very short periodof time. Because they have the benefit ofliving the real-world experience, they areready to perform and adapt quickly tocompanies’ operations.The hospitality industry will continue

to grow and thrive. Organisations willcontinue to search for and attract youngtalent. Clearly, the best-qualified will bethose whose hospitality educationenabled them to learn by doing. •

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“Schools must givestudents the experttraining andpreparation theyneed to be qualifiedto succeed in fast-track positions”

CEO, LES ROCHES INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT