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Exploring Careers In Hospitality Management In The UK

Exploring Careers In Hospitality Management In The UK

Ebere

[speaker]

In most countries of the world, the hospitality management industry is becoming a very lucrative field and as such, careers in this field are in high demand. The hospitality management industry is a service-based sector, this means success is measured by how well they relate with their customers and how many customers they attract.

To build a career as a professional in this field, you are expected to have a variety of skills ranging from serious work ethics to a sound understanding of what contributes to business success.

Professionals working in the hospitality and tourism industry are specially trained during their degree course to equip themselves with skills and knowledge in people management, service delivery, leadership, finance and marketing, as well as the ability to identify, understand and respond appropriately to the needs of clients.

Skills And Qualities Reqiured In Hospitality Mnangement

Effective Communication

In addition to written and verbal communication skills, employers also seek professionals with the ability to listen to client’s need, to understand how best to meet their expectations.

Problem-solving

The hospitality management industry is particularly demanding of this skill. Professionals in this field would be required by customers to have knowledge on a variety of inquires they may have. This skill involves analytical abilities such as critical thinking and logical reasoning that can be developed through research and data analysis.

Diplomacy

Seeing as the hospitality management industry deals with providing services to people, professionals in this field are expected to employ tact in dealing with unhappy clients and managing conflicts so as to avoid or settle hostility. They would be required to offer solutions or alternatives that fairly consider all parties involved.

Handling pressure

Professionals in the hospitality industry usually have to juggle multiple projects or tasks at the same time, as such it is very necessary for one to be able to figure out how to handle pressure during these times. Learning to delegate tasks to team members and collaborate effectively with others will ease the pressure that comes with the roles.

Academic Path To A Career In Hospitality Management

Getting a degree in a hospitality-related field is the best route into the hospitality management industry. A hospitality management degree is necessary to get familiar with working in an industry that involves relating with guests from various social and cultural backgrounds, as the industry requires first-hand experience with various cultures from around the globe. A bachelor’s degree gives you a good head start in your career path, however, choosing to enrol in further study and specialize in a particular area can help boost your career and be at the top of your game.

If you have a degree in hospitality or any related course and you’re planning on starting a career along that path, then you should find your speciality and what would be needed to further advance in it. The hospitality management industry is very broad and has a range of segments from food and beverage, travel and tourism, lodging, to recreation.

Finding a speciality can be made easier by identifying one’s interest, skill set and qualifications that align with these specializations.

The hospitality management industry is currently one of the largest employing industries in the world. In the UK, the hospitality management industry accounts for a major part of its GDP and is ranked among the first three largest industries in terms of employment. As such, the UK is considered a highly recommended study destination to start a career in hospitality management.

Generally, education in the UK is highly recommended because the UK has one of the oldest educational systems in the world and as such provides a solid foundation for students to get the skills required to have a strong mastery of the various courses.

The UK is also considered a more affordable study destination than other countries, coupled with the fact that the degree programs in the UK for graduate education have a shorter time span and also offer a variety of scholarship opportunities and financial aid for students to explore.

Hospitality management courses in the UK equip students with knowledge on business operations, accounting, finance, marketing, public relations, administration and management, providing them with industry-based scenarios and the necessary background for a range of well-paid careers in the market. Students are allowed the opportunity to get hands-on experience with the industry by taking one-year of work placement during their degree program.

The UK is considered one of the most recommended destinations to study hospitality management because it has some of the best training institutions in the industry.

Best Universities In The UK For Hospitality Management

Middlesex University London

Middlesex University prides itself in its expert teaching that blends practical business skills with social science to boost your career in the hospitality management industry either as a hotel manager, travel consultant or entrepreneur. Its postgraduate study provides a deeper dive into the modern industry, to match theory with practice. Middlesex University offers Tourism and hospitality management courses with a three year BSc Honors costing £14,000 per year and postgraduate courses that run for a year costing about £16,200.

Birmingham City University

Birmingham City University promises its students a professional focus and real-world experience of hospitality management, ensuring they are equipped to make an immediate impact in the world, coupled with the opportunity to embark on a year-long professional placement as part of the degree course. Birmingham City University offers a BSc in Global Hospitality Management that runs for three years and costs £13,200.

Manchester Metropolitan University

Through its collaborations with major organizations in the industry, Manchester Metropolitan University, provides its students with industry exposure, resulting in a higher chance of after study employment. Manchester Metropolitan University offers a BSc degree programme for the duration of three years costing £17,000 and one year MSc in International Tourism and Hospitality Management that will cost you approximately £15,500.

Coventry University

Coventry University provides its student with teaching from industry professionals as well as a dedicated Careers and Employability department to assist students in finding employment. Their International Hospitality and Tourism Management degree runs for both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with a three-year long BSc programmethat costs roughly £13,900 a year and a 12-18 months MSc costing about £14,450.

Robert Gordon University

Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen provides you with the opportunity to study and experience the industry’s many sub-sectors through both practical and theoretical teaching methods, including field trips, placement and industry masterclasses.

University of Surrey

University of Surrey’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management offers one of the perfect foundations for senior managerial roles in this thriving sector, their BSc (Hons) Hospitality Management courses opens a variety of exciting career opportunities both in the UK and overseas. Drawing on the University’s extensive experience of teaching, researching and working in hospitality management, students get equipped with knowledge on core business and management topics as well as industry-based practical experience. The University also offers a one year MSc International Hotel Management course, at £18,600 for international students.

There are basic entry requirements international students need to consider before opting to study for a hospitality management degree in the UK, some of which are:

An IELTS score of at least 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
At a minimum, an ABB, in your A level results or at least 32 points for the International Baccalaureate requirements.

Some of these requirements may differ based on the level of study, course speciality or institution.

As the hospitality management industry continues to grow, graduating with a degree in hospitality management opens up multiple career options to explore in the UK and in other countries of the world. A few of these career paths you can consider include;