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Hospitality, including hotels and restaurants, as an industry is one of the largest in the world, and the need for qualified and competent staff at all levels continues to grow. Developing Hospitality Academic Programs is a direct way to effectively support communities and the hotel industry with focused, quality programs that impact future staff quality.

The Four-Step Approach used in in all assignments is detailed in the Overview of Hospitality Consulting, and includes discussion of perceived problems with the client, preparation of a detailed SWOT analysis, identification of strengths and recommendations for addressing the challenges.

Hospitality Academic Programs Case Study - An intermediate sized city was undergoing tremendous growth in several hospitality segments, including hotels, restaurants, attractions and special events. The population of the city was not growing at the same pace and the need for qualified and competent staff at all levels had become critical. There was neither a 2 or 4 year hospitality program in the area and several major hotel and restaurant employers were looking for support and assistance.

This project was completed in a six month period, due to the urgency of the needs and the willingness of major hotel employers to provide financial support.

The critical problem was evident - a work force not sufficient in size that was oriented to the hospitality and hotel industry. While the major hotel employers had excellent recruiting and training services, the demand remained imbalanced. Even transporting certain staff to the area from 50 plus miles away was not meeting the need and ongoing discussions revealed the urgency for additional and practical solutions.
The business SWOT analysis identified that the topic needed input from a number of major groups in both the private and public sectors. Practical applications, including potential government support, were viewed as essential.
Strengths included: committed parties, with government support from hospitality, tourism and educational centers as well as financial support from several major hotel employers.
Recommendations included: creating a hospitality program at an area 2-year community college that incorporated proven hotel and restaurant training programs and coordination with the national hotel association's educational certification programs.

Results: This hospitality program quickly became one of the most successful community college programs in the field, with hotel management and hospitality classes held at both the college and one of the major hotels. Over several years, there were more people certified at one major hotel than any other hotel brand in the United States. This trend continued for many years until the population and employment needs became better balanced.

An article on this subject matter and related topics are found on this site under Articles, with even more at www.hospitalityeducators.com.

If you are interested in having me work with you on a similar or related situation, please contact me for a no-cost discussion at john@hoganhospitality.com or call 602-799-5375

John Hogan CHA CMHS CHE CHO

Your Hospitality Resource for the Hotel Owner, Innkeeper, Manager and Hospitality Industry Associations