What are the reasons for the industry’s current needs for more highly skilled employees?

Industry consultation and complementary research highlights the key issues currently being faced in terms of workforce development. Like other service sectors, hospitality careers are often stereotyped as low-wage and entry-level with little opportunity for advancement.
The vast majority of employees in the hospitality industry is employed on a casual basis and has little desire to pursue a career in the industry. Employment is generally purely a source of income whilst studying, as a second job or whilst looking for another job in a more desirable field.

Employers are understandably reluctant to invest in such employees and so the industry suffers from a lack of skilled people. The few dedicated hospitality professionals are generally employed by businesses that are large enough to offer above average remuneration or benefits.

Employers across the industry, large and small, face the same challenge—to attract and keep people with the right skills and personal attitudes and attributes to deliver a quality experience. However, there are labour and skills shortages in a number of occupations and regions in the tourism and hospitality industry. These shortages cannot be simply attributed to demographic changes, a growing economy or blamed on an education and training system delivering insufficient numbers. Industry and regional structures, business size, workplace conditions, and the mobility of workers are all contributing to these shortages and these are likely to continue for the next two decades.

Staff shortages, inadequate skills and knowledge and/or high turnover can impede the ability of a hotel or other tourism business to deliver quality service. The unpredictable 24/7 trading environment and the small number of very busy peak periods within the week (Friday