The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mohammad Shahidul Islam

The hospitality industry is experiencing a boom across the world. Bangladesh is not an exception. A plethora of new hotels have opened in Dhaka, Chitagong, Sylhet and Cox's Bazaar. As a result there is a constant need for top-level industry consultants to advise on the profession. Besides, varieties of jobs in the catering business are now ready to be filled in.

One of the many wonderful aspects of this industry is the flexibility and choice it offers. One can start working in hotels, and if that does not suit him, he can change to contract catering or use his experience to go into consultancy or manage or run a restaurant or fast-food outlet. So, the opportunities are huge.

For many people, the thought of a career in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industries may bring up the images of chefs, waiters, guides and cabin crews. But the industry offers more than these. Every day 1 in every 5 new jobs fall into this sector of the world. This is a huge industry offering variety, diversity and tons of different jobs and career opportunities to suit every one across the globe. So, what sort of person do you need to be to work in the hospitality, leisure and tourism business? Well to begin with you need to like people, and enjoy the challenges of working in a customer-focused environment. You need to be flexible, adaptable, enjoy solving problems and thinking on your feet and to be able to work as part of a team.

I met Jewel Mahmud, 18 years old, energetic and bubbly, working in the front office of a renowned hotel in Dhaka. "The diversity of the industry brings challenges and new opportunities, and that's what appeals to me," he said. "I originally came to this from National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute when I was on an 18-week course on Front Office and Secretarial Operations. Now I work part-time as a receptionist, which allows me to continue my studies towards A-Level." His advice to anyone considering a career in hotel is "Don't be put off by the thought of long hours and less pay initially-I followed my heart when I chose this as a career and I don't regret it for a moment". Mahmud hopes to go on to become a Front Office Manager or Conference and Events Manager at a Five Star Hotel in Bangladesh or outside the country.

Hospitality industry is a huge term. It does not only include hotels but restaurants and others. It is entwined in our daily life-grabbing a sandwich for lunch, stopping off for a coffee or drinks with friends, staying at a hotel, going to the cinema or theatre, school meals, eating at a canteen in work, catching a bus, motor-way service stations… the list goes on and on.

Mahbuba Begum is a young Chef in Australia. She studied 1-year professional Chef Course from National Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (NHTTI). Her first job was as a Commis-ii (junior or apprentice-grade-ii) in a small hotel but soon was promoted to Chef because of her hard labour and perseverance. After moving to Australia she took a job specializing in fish and within two years became Chef of a new restaurant group. She says, "My career is very satisfying and I was delighted to be given promotion soon. My advice to young chefs wanting to progress in their career would be to focus on what they want to achieve-put your head down and keep working. That is what I did- believe me, you will get noticed!"

What about travel and tourism! It is a huge growth sector, valued at a massive £270 billion worldwide. Travel and Tourism is closely linked with Hospitality and Leisure, all providing services for their customers. It is a very inter-dependent industry…it is constantly expanding… which means more jobs and careers! Bangladesh is becoming the best-chosen destination for the airlines operators. Many foreign airlines are doing wow business in Bangladesh. The scopes and opportunities for airlines jobs are therefore climbing.

What is the best way into this industry and what qualifications do you need? Hospitality and Catering, like many other sectors, suffer from skills shortages in certain areas. Undoubtedly there are a wide range of jobs on offer-Receptionists, Bar, Conference and Banqueting, Event Management, Chefs, Waiters, Sales and Marketing, House-keeping, Food and Beverage Managers … these are just a few! The three main entry routes are:

1. By managing a job in a small or big hotel and benefiting from company training and development-maybe alongside a part-time study.

2. By becoming a management trainee or by having industrial attachment in the different outlets of a hotel.

3. By enrolling on a full-time course in an institute. There are courses to suit all abilities, whatever your academic achievements but at least SSC/O-level certificate is required.

If it is a career in Travel and Tourism that interests you, again there are too many jobs to mention here, Travel Agents, Overseas Representatives, Cabin Crew, Marketing for a Tour Operator, Customer Relations, Operations Roles, Cruise Ships [outside the country], Tourist Information Centers, just a few to consider. This sector is attractive to new recruits and competition can be tough.

Some of the qualifications that could help you on your way include: Industrial attachment or management trainee-you get an opportunity to develop skills, expertise and gain hospitality attributes whilst at work. Further and Higher Education like Diploma in Hotel and Tourism Management and BA in Hospitality Management-often these courses include business studies, field trips, foreign languages and marketing elements. Qualifications alone are no guarantee of a job in the hospitality, leisure, travel or tourism industry-a lot depends on your personality, attitude, communication skills and commonsense approach to work and life in general! Hospitality, Leisure, and Tourism might not be everyone's choice-but if you are enthusiastic, like people and want a career that is exciting, challenging and constantly developing-contact the recruiters at home and abroad to check it out-you might just be surprised!

The hospitality industry is rising rapidly, but it is also changing. In Bangladesh, hospitality industry is doing well. Varieties of restaurants are mushrooming and yet every new entrant to this business is doing well. Who would have thought 10 years ago that we would be ordering take-away pizza from petrol forecourts, for example? Many new offers are coming on-stream, and there are undoubtedly more interesting ones to follow.

That is the good news. The bad news is that the hospitality industry still has problems, above all with its image. But the over-riding message from recruiters is that the low pay and long hours for which hotels and restaurants are famous are becoming a thing of the past. The sheer growth of the industry has meant that employers are putting together far more attractive recruitment packages to attract the right staff. For potential managers the prospects can be tremendous.

Management salaries in this industry are increasing ahead of those in other sectors. There are some very good packages on offer. A good reason to go into the industry is that there is a continual shortage of top-calibre people, so good qualified people will progress very quickly and can probably expect an amount of money similar to what they would earn in any other industry at an early age.

Hospitality has always been an industry in which bright entrepreneurs can succeed, regardless of qualifications, and employers are now realizing this. Many say they want personality and charisma rather than a clutch of qualifications. Rubina Afrooz, Training and Development Manager at National hotel and Tourism Training Institute-NHTTI, says: "Personality is first. The industry is looking for outgoing, highly motivated people who are very much focused on business results-the sort of people who would one day want to run their own businesses." She adds: "Good qualifications won't do anybody any harm at all, but I do not think they are by any means a prerequisite. My personal point of view is that very often good qualifications tend to mean 'high intellect' and 'good at doing exams'. These are not necessarily the best competencies for the hospitality industry. It is more important that people are the right type of individual. They have got to like other people."

SM Mizanur Rahman, Head of language and culture department at NHTTI, believes qualifications still count. But he adds: "Having said that, this industry is performance-orientated. You can get as far on your performance as your ability will take you."