Curriculum Review

Abstract

A brief survey of 46 hospitality-industry professionals found a relatively high opinion of the job that hospitality-education programs do in preparing students, although the survey respondents had many specific suggestions for improvement. Stronger practical and hands-on learning topped the list of areas where the practitioners would like to see improvement, along with more focus on interpersonal and human-resources skills, and on finance-related knowledge. The respondents appreciate the energy and enthusiasm displayed by hospitality-program graduates, although those graduates sometimes have unrealistic expectations about the industry and have specific gaps in their education, notably in their ability to write clearly. The greatest issue facing the industry, as judged by this group of respondents, is recruiting, training, and retaining employees.