Less than a quarter of young people would consider a career in hospitality
Less than a quarter (22%) of 16-21-year-olds in the UK say they would consider a career in hospitality.
That is according to a survey of 1,000 Brits aged 16-21 by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which also found almost one in three (26%) admitted they didn't see hospitality as an industry to work in after obtaining a degree.
One in five respondents (19%) admitted they weren't aware a career in hospitality could lead to roles that span design, engineering, finance, HR, law and marketing and more than a quarter (26%) thought working in a hotel mainly entailed dealing with a difficult guest.
The results also highlighted that 42% admitted their job choices reflected their parent's perceptions of certain industries.
The research coincides with the launch of IHG's national hotel takeover, where 1,000 hospitality students will assist in the running of 30 hotels across the country.
Elaine Grell, vice-president of human resources, Europe and global functions at IHG said; "These results highlight just how important it is that young people get real life, on-the-job experience so they can fully understand how varied and exciting a career in hospitality can be. A hotel is a complex business with responsibility for a large team and big budgets. Yet a lot of people make assumptions based on what they may see as they only see from a guest's perspective."
James Ashall, programme director at Movement to Work, added: "Today's research from IHG highlights the gap that needs to be bridged by employers to reduce youth unemployment. There is more we should be doing to highlight the array of jobs available and the progress from those jobs into fulfilling careers. There are too many young people who fall into the seemingly endless circle of ‘no experience no job; no job no experience', for a multitude of reasons, as employers through work placements we can provide the opportunities to help them gain confidence, break this cycle and fulfil their potential."
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