How Successfully Do We Educate Tourism, Hospitality, and Events Graduates?

Figures & data

Table 1. Career development.

	UG (n = 109)	PG (n = 53)	PhD (n = 12)
1^st job in THE	72.9	72.5	72.7
Current job in THE if not in 1st job	43.6	68.2	60.0
Current job in THE (incl. still in 1st job)	51.4	67.7	80.0
Has your career developed in a logical manner?
Logical manner	47.8	60.5	90.0
Non-logical or chaotic manner	35.9	25.4	10.0
Still looking for my career	16.3	14.0	-
Mean number of full time jobs since graduation	3.7	3.0	3.1
Mean number of employers since graduation	3.8	2.7	2.8
Mean number of “careers” since graduation	1.6	1.3	1.3
Likelihood of remaining in the same position in 5 years (% probably or definitely)	22.2	18.2	50.0
Likelihood of remaining with the same employer in 5 years (% probably or definitely)	37.5	28.9	50.0
Likelihood of remaining in the same field in the next 5 years (% probably or definitely)	60.1	65.8	90.0

Notes. Percentage in italics. UG: Respondents with an undergraduate degree. PG: Respondents with a coursework postgraduate degree. PhD: Respondents with a PhD degree.

Table 2. Career preparation.

	UG	PG	PhD
1^st job (n)	78	36	10
How well did the qualification prepare you for your 1st job?
very well or extremely well	39.7	33.3	90.0
adequately	41.0	61.1	10.0
Importance of THE qualification in securing 1st job after graduation
very important or essential	44.9	47.3	80.0
played some role but other factors were as important	33.3	30.6	10.0
The 1st job suitable for your qualifications (met my qualifications)	60.5	48.6	90.0
The 1st job appropriate for your skills (appropriate for my skills)	52.6	51.4	90.0
Transition between study and employment
was already working or secured employment immediately	52.0	47.6	70.0
took a number of months to secure full time work	32.9	31.4	10.0
struggled (many part time jobs, unemployment or finding a job in a different field)	15.7	20.0	20.0
Current job if different from 1^st job (n)	55	22	5
Importance of THE qualification in securing current job			TS
very important or essential	25.4	27.2
played some role but other factors were as important	29.1	40.9
How well did the qualification prepare you for your current job?			TS
very well or extremely well	21.7	36.0
adequately	56.4	54.5
Current job suitable for your qualifications (meets my qualifications)	67.3	63.6	TS
Current job appropriate for your skills (appropriate for my skills)	74.5	59.1	TS

Notes. Percentage in italics. UG: Respondents with an undergraduate degree. PG: Respondents with a coursework postgraduate degree. PhD: Respondents with a PhD degree. TS: Cell size too small for meaningful analysis.

Table 3. Strengths and weaknesses of the program.

Program strengths
UG (n = 65)	PG (n = 30)			PhD (n = 9)
Subject offerings and/or specializations (48)	Subject offerings and/or specializations (30)			Quality of teaching/teachers (7)
Quality of teaching/teachers (33)	Quality of teaching/teachers (8)			Subject offerings and/or specializations (6)
Practicum or equivalent (21)	Quality of the University or programme (7)			Fellow students (4)
Opportunity for exchange (7)	Practicum or equivalent (4)			Resources (2)
Fellow students (7)	Fellow students/alumni (3)			Recognized degree or university (1)
Quality of the University or programme (5)
Resources (4)
Program weaknesses
UG (n = 58)		PG (n = 31)	PhD (n = 7)
No practicum or internship (31)		No internship or practicum (16)	Resources (3)
Subjects too theoretical (14)		No mentors (12)	No mentor (2)
No real world application (13)		Comments on specific subjects (7)	Bad lecturers/ bad teaching (2)
Lack of mentors (12)		Bad lecturers/bad teaching (6)	No real world application (2)
Limited variety of subjects/electives (11)		Too theoretical (6)
Comments on specific subjects (10)		Limited variety of subjects/electives (5)
Bad lectures or teachers (8)		No real world application (3)

Notes. Number of respondents in parathesis. UG: Respondents with an undergraduate degree. PG: Respondents with a coursework postgraduate degree. PhD: Respondents with a PhD degree.

Table 4. Impressions of the programs (%).

	UG (n = 72)	PG (n = 33)	PhD (n = 10)
Overall teaching quality
Very poor to acceptable	25.0	18.2	10.0
Good	51.4	48.5	30.0
Excellent	23.6	33.3	60.0
Subject variety
Very poor to acceptable	27.8	36.3	20.0
Good	52.8	33.3	50.0
Excellent	19.4	30.3	30.0
Level of practical training			TS
Very poor to poor	40.7	46.6
OK but nothing outstanding	29.7	20.0
Good to excellent	29.7	33.3
Would still study THE if could do degree over
Probably or definitely would choose THE again	44.5	42.5	70.0
Possibly would choose a different field of study	18.1	27.3	30.0
Definitely or likely would choose a different field of study	37.5	30.4	0.0

Notes. Percentage in italics. UG: Respondents with an undergraduate degree. PG: Respondents with a coursework postgraduate degree. PhD: Respondents with a PhD degree. TS: Cell size too small for meaningful analysis.

Table 5. Key attributes in developing a career.

UG (n = 84)	PG (n = 39)	PhD (n = 10)
Working in a place where my contribution is valued (44)	Chance for personal development (24)	Working in a place where my contribution is valued (6)
Work/Life balance (40)	Working in a place where my contribution is valued (22)	Chance for personal development (5)
Attractive salary and compensation package (36)	Happy workplace (14)	Stable and secure work environment (4)
Chance for personal development (32)	Attractive salary and compensation package (13)	Autonomy and independence (4)
Happy workplace (24)	Stable and secure work environment (9)	Happy workplace (4)
Stable and secure work environment (19)	Strong promotional opportunities (8)	Strong promotional opportunities (2)
Strong promotional opportunities (16)	Thriving at work (8)	Thriving at work (2)
Autonomy and independence (14)	Work/Life balance (7)	Work/Life balance (2)
Thriving at work (11)	Challenging position (7)	Working in a place with a strong service culture (2)
Challenging position (10)	Autonomy and independence (3)	Challenging position (1)
Working in a place with a strong service culture (8)	Working in a place with a strong service culture (3)	Attractive alary and compensation package (1)

Notes. Number of respondents in parathesis. UG: Respondents with an undergraduate degree. PG: Respondents with a coursework postgraduate degree. PhD: Respondents with a PhD degree.

Table 6. Advice to prospective students.

Theme	Sample comments
Work (33)	Work while you are learning. A degree does not open a door, your experience does. Industry experience is so much more relevant for gaining employment in the events sector than a degree.
Study hard and select courses carefully (17)	Major courses are a strong foundation for your career, yet the elective courses will also play an important role after you graduated. Focus on transferable skills, the possible pathways are endless and your goals will likely be different in 10 years’ time.
Think twice (16)	You don’t need to study events at a degree level, just do work experience/internships. Don’t need to study THE, find a job and stick with it. Hotel company will promote you very quickly no matter what!
Enjoy and take advantage of opportunities (16)	Enjoy learning, enjoy immersing yourself in something you find interesting, stop smell the roses when you are studying – your class mates, the knowledge of your lecturers, a calm space to achieve – enjoy it. Make the most of every opportunity the university has to offer! Get involved – especially in extra-curricular activities and overseas opportunities!
Passion (7)	Choose your passion and what you see yourself doing in the next years. Don’t choose for the sake of pleasing someone. Choose what appeals to you and follow your heart, because following your heart will never let you down. This is YOUR career … . Go forward and conquer.
Network (5)	Do what you can to network while you are studying … gotta put your own foot forward. Try to build friendships with your fellow classmates. As well as making University more enjoyable, they can help with study and useful in the future as it is often not what you know but who you know.

Notes. Number of respondents in parathesis.