Hospitality: a fast-paced, dynamic environment where no two days are the same.
Enjoy flexible working hours to suit you and opportunities for rapid progression from entry-level positions.
About the hospitality sector
The hospitality industry is one of the UK’s largest sectors, with more than 3 million jobs spread across the UK, you’ll learn transferrable skills to thrive in an industry that’s nationwide.
From pubs and bars, kitchen, hotels, holiday parks, retail outlets and restaurants, there are endless opportunities to work in a social environment alongside supportive and like-minded people.
Despite the pandemic, the industry is booming. It needs talented people, looking for an opportunity to develop skills and embark on a great career. With a skills shortage across hospitality, there is opportunity for rapid progression. It’s not unusual to be in a senior position well before you turn thirty.
What can I do?
Hospitality is incredibly varied, from big brands to independent businesses, you’ll develop transferable skills and a job for life. Help to run top hotels, work in front of house at restaurants and bars, start a career in the kitchen, or support big brands in their offices.
The settings are endless, whether it’s events, conference centres, resorts, hotels, pubs, cafes, restaurants, or kitchens. Hospitality employers need a varied workforce to offer a high-quality service, so there are a range of roles on offer.
You could be preparing or serving food and drink, taking care of customers, or helping to manage the entire operation. With dedication, you can rapidly progress from team member to team leader and beyond.
Hospitality skills
To get started, all you’ll need is a willingness to learn and a positive attitude. You’ll develop your technical skills in the role and through experience, supported by a like-minded team.
The skills you’ll learn are varied. Working in a kitchen or hotel means close attention to detail and the ability to work at a high tempo, whereas front of House means engaging with customers with a friendly, personable approach.
You’ll be armed with both the technical knowledge and skills to develop in your role, such as in-depth knowledge of food and drink or how to manage teams
Hospitality careers
From entry-level to manager, career paths in hospitality are usually clear-cut. In almost all cases, there are pathways to more senior roles including management positions. At larger national brands, there’ll be chances to move between sites and roles too.
Front of House, kitchen, and manager roles can be found across all hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants. Hotels need housekeeping and reception roles too. There are a variety of support roles in Head Office, from business administration to HR, tech support and training and finance, there are routes for progression across all areas of hospitality.
Hospitality training: develop the skills you need to thrive in hospitality!
Work-based and work-related qualifications
Relevant NVQ and BTEC programmes include:
- Hospitality
- Travel and Tourism
- Business
- If you’re looking for a management or business-related role, other programmes in accountancy, finance or management will also open the door to new careers.
Apprenticeships
Whether it’s delivering first-class customer service or developing innovative dishes, apprenticeships are a popular way of training hospitality workers to industry-leading standards. You’ll learn role-essential skills while getting paid, with training mapped to a variety of hospitality roles across the industry.
Programmes provide work-based training to develop skills in entry-level learners, supervisors, and managers. Apprenticeships are hands-on, developing specific skills for each role in a range of hospitality settings.
Hospitality apprenticeships are at three levels:
Intermediate Apprenticeships (Level 2) – equivalent to 5 GCSEs
- Hospitality Team Member Level 2
- Commis Chef Level 2
- Production Chef Level 2
Advanced Apprenticeships (Level 3) – equivalent to 2 A-levels
- Hospitality Supervisor Level 3
- Senior Chef in Production Cooking Level 3
- Chef de Partie Level 3
Higher Apprenticeships (Level 4/5) – equivalent to Certificate of Higher Education
- Hospitality Manager Level 4
- Operations Manager Level 5
Useful A-Levels include:
- Travel and Tourism
- Leisure Studies
- Business Studies
- Languages
Industry-specific degree programmes in this area include Bachelor programmes in events or hospitality management, tourism and in culinary. You could also consider business and finance degrees. Language degrees could also be appealing to employers.
Life in Hospitality
It’s never going to be dull working in this industry. You’ll meet lots of different people, build up a range of transferrable skills, and be involved in anything from small, intimate gatherings to huge conferences. Because of the skills shortage in hospitality, you’ll be in demand while developing skills that will earn you a job for life.
There’s no single path through an industry as diverse as this one. With determination and passion, you can rapidly progress from entry-level. Hours are generally flexible, focusing on late nights, early mornings, or alternating between the two.
The working environment itself can be dynamic, energetic and fun. You’ll have lots of options for progression and moving between different posts. The industry can be seasonal, which means you’ll face different challenges and busy periods across the year.
Most of all, you’ll be part of a team in any role in the industry. It’s a sociable role, as you could be part of a crew in a kitchen, a team of waiters, or a group of bartenders.
You could work in...
- Holiday parks
- Hotels and hostels
- Restaurants
- Bars, pubs and clubs
- Retail food outlets
