Hospitality courses coming of age

When the conservative Indians promoted the concept of eating outside their homes by patronising the exceptional culinary skills of cooks of different kinds of foods, little did they realise that they were paving way for a mighty food and hospitality industry in the coming decades.

Though the industry began as an amateur, it slowly developed a state of the art over a period of time giving it a professional touch. High profile hospitality industry like the star hotels, swanky resorts and restaurants and VIP guest houses felt the need for trained professionals who could carry out their duties with a flair coupled with an international sensibility. The Government of India realised these difficulties and encouraged various universities to include a course in hotel management in the 1980s of the last century.

Most colleges offer a very good infrastructure and complement classroom academics with practical lessons to supplement the knowledge of the students but the results have not been exactly spectacular, thus far. While some of the colleges are affiliated to the Indian universities, many of them have tied up with foreign universities for short term diploma courses and also certificate courses which boost the profile of the candidate in the international scene.

Initially, a four year undergraduate course called BHM (Bachelor of Hotel Management) was introduced with relevant subjects touching on areas like language, accounts, housekeeping and related skills necessary for the job.

Teaching faculty at colleges of hotel management said that though the course content could match international standards, unfortunately, the takers of the courses were students who were way below the average mark. A survey reveals that the situation has not altered much, even to this day.

The reasons are obvious. It is students with low marks or candidates who may have discontinued education are the usual takers who normally preferred the course. Naturally, they do not do well in academics because of lack of basic knowledge coupled with a sense of low self-esteem.

They are also perhaps acutely aware of the fact that the Indian society at large is not really well known for honouring jobs as hoteliers, waiters or for that matter even housekeepers in star hotels. This is also one of the main reasons why there is a glaring absence of girl students in these classes especially in the initial years. The scene has changed a wee bit over the years because there is steady trickle of young women who are ready to give it a shot.

Quality service
Despite low popularity levels, it is a fact that the course has landed several diligent students in enviable positions in star hotels. These success stories have also encouraged the partially educated staff working in private and ordinary eateries to  take up the course to upgrade themselves as professionally qualified personnel who can move on to greener pastures.

Then there are enterprising hoteliers who introduce grooming classes and train their staff in communication and soft skills to enhance the quality of the service in hotels. Such trained workers are indirectly motivated to clear their intermediate examinations privately and take up the hotel management course over a period of time.

The reason for such careful cushioning lies in the realms of detrimental attrition which leaves the industry almost always in a state of uncertainty. The day is not far off when the growing demand of the industry will attract more and more and even meritorious students to consider hotel management courses as a career option.

Hotel management colleges can consider this situation to be a cue and gear up vigorously to cater to the needs of the industry and give it the much needed facelift. Globalisation and enhanced spending capacity of Indians has paved the way for a boom in the hospitality industry in a big way. Campus recruitments are becoming the order of the day.

Big names in the industry across the globe are ready to absorb and pay fancy salaries and positions construing to the talents and qualifications of the candidates. In fact, the market has expanded over the years. Developing marine businesses like liners and cruise ships are recruiting personnel by the dozens. Event management teams and trip organisers are always looking out for trained staff.

Certainly, the situation cannot get any better. Earnest students of hotel management can be rest assured that they can land themselves on velvet if they only work diligently towards their goal.