The Hospitality Industry has taken the world by a storm. The mere fact that amongst the downfall of the economy worldwide the hotel industry has continued to open fresh and innovative ventures comes as an assurance that the industry still has a long way to go. The Indian tourism and hospitality industry has emerged as one of the key industries driving growth of the services sector in India.
All this stands relevant for an aspirant of the Hotel Management because one ought to know that the reality of the industry he/she would eventually be a part of. In times like today where everything is predicted and made available for the masses, a student should carefully research and make his career decisions rather than blindly following someone else or giving in to peer pressure.
Let us have a look at some of the things you must know before joining the Hospitality Industry.
Also See : Masters in Hospitality Management
Eligibility for Bachelor’s in Hotel Management
The first and foremost is the eligibility for one to apply to a Bachelor’s course in Hotel Management and some other prerequisites to this three to four year course. The programme comprises four main areas; Food Production, Food and Beverage Service (F&B), Front Office and Accommodation Management. You will be taught theory, and gain practical experience in each area. In your final year, you will need to specialize in one of them. Front office and F&B are popular options by students
Eligibility: 10+2 with English as a subject. You must give the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) conducted by the National Council of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT).
The minimum selection criteria for an undergraduate course in hotel management is 10+2 with 50 per cent marks. However, candidates who do not have 50 per cent marks in +2 can do diploma or certificate course in hotel management which are being offered by various institutes. Additionally, some hotels provide training cum job placement and candidates who do not have other options can opt for it. Indian hotel management institutes conduct entrance exams before selecting the candidates for various courses.
Job Prospects of Hospitality Management
The Hotel Industry still has a large place to accommodate skillful job seekers. The advent of globalization has made it more than possible and the companies more ready to employ more and more budding students from Hotel Management Institutes.
One might think that it is one of the most glamorous industries but the fact remains that a person has to be on his/her toes anticipating needs of its guests and trying to make a smooth sailing even through the most difficult of situations.
- Hotel management can include
- Hotel and Restaurant management
- Cruise Ship Hotel management
- Hospital Administration and Catering
- Hotel and Tourism Associations
- Airline Catering and Cabin Services
- Club management
- Forest Lodges
- Guest Houses, etc.
Expansion of global travel industry and aviation industry is also expected to have a direct impact on the boost in the hotel industry in next couple of years.
Job Profiles: Front office Executive, Guest Relations Manager. F&B Executive, Chef, Facilities Manager
Career Scope of Hotel Management
There are as many as 2.40 million people working in hotel, catering and allied industries in India. This number is only bound to increase with the advent of more and more skilled candidates entering the industry through trained courses such as Hotel Management. Also, there are many new hotels which are to be set up in urban and semi-urban areas. Trained hotel management professionals would have privilege over untrained graduates as hotels are not willing invest in training of recruits and rather prefer trained ones.
A graduate of postgraduate of the industry should not look at only opting for hotel or airlines afterwards. There are umpteen numbers of industries who look forward to recruiting students of this industry. This industry has moved beyond restaurants and hotels to serving the healthcare, wellness and corporate sector, too.