Looking for a career path that takes you to exciting places? Whether you are interested in travelling the world with a travel and tourism career, or upskilling to become a Head Chef, Hospitality could be just the sector for you.
Roles in Hospitality are very varied, but the overall focus is on providing some kind of leisure service for a customer. That could be a holiday, an exciting event, or a three-course dinner, right through to a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.
Thinking of taking your first steps into Hospitality? You’re not the only one. Hospitality takes up around 8% of the UK workforce. At the time of writing (June 2022) there is also a 6% vacancy rate in the UK, meaning that there are plenty of jobs out there for the taking.
So, what's so great about working in hospitality and catering?
- Meeting People: If you love to meet new people, then roles in this industry could be great for you. Hospitality and catering roles are all about making people happy, and ensuring the customer has a great experience, and that means each and every customer every day. So, if you're a real people person, these roles could be ideal for you.
- Leave the day behind you: In many roles in this industry, each shift is an end in itself, so, unlike lots of office jobs, you're less likely to have to take your work home with you, which can result in less stress. Don't get us wrong, some jobs in this field (particularly at a management level) will have some aspects of this, and the work itself can be time-pressured, but in general, you may find that at the end of each day, you can switch off until next shift comes around.
- Travel the world: Working in this industry can, quite literally, take you around the world if you love travel. Working for a major hotel chain, a restaurant chain, or as cabin crew or an events manager can all create opportunities for travel to locations people love to visit around the world.
- Work your way to the top: This is an industry where there are lots of jobs available at the moment. Although many of those jobs may be at entry-level, this industry is one where you can often work your way up from very junior roles to really senior ones. Managers in this industry often really benefit from direct, front line customer facing experience, so it can be a great industry to get into and grow into (even if you don't have many formal qualifications).
- Every day is different: People working in hospitality have to adapt and change to the needs of each customer, so you get to be a creative problem solver, and you'll get a lot of variety in these roles. So, if you love variety, creativity, and being part of a team, this could be the perfect career path for you...
Ready to find out more about the different kinds of roles you can do in this industry?
The jobs are out there, but what exactly are they? Read our guide to roles in the industry to find out more >>
