the national curriculum has undermined the possibility of them exploring a career in the sector.
When schools do include hospitality in their curriculum, it has historically only focused on kitchen-based roles, failing to take into consideration any of the other roles and opportunities available in hospitality, of which there are many.
Silver linings
Despite just five percent of respondents actively planning a career in hospitality, over half (56 percent) of school leavers agreed that the sector is attractive when it comes to employment.
They highlighted the opportunity to learn new skills, flexible hours, wanting to work in a public-facing role, variety and having the opportunity to travel.
Of those disinterested in a career in hospitality, 37 percent said that they would reconsider if the pay was better. Good working hours, better earning potential and a reduction of the stressful nature of the job were also seen as potential game-changers.
Also cited as a reason for not joining hospitality was how stressful it was as a career with 20 percent of those disinterested in hospitality saying that if it was a less stressful job they would be more interested.
Director at Caterer.com Kathy Dyball said the research showed that there was great potential for employers to convince young people of the benefits of hopitality work - and that some already have.
“In an industry-wide effort to attract and retain talent, many hospitality employers have taken great steps to improve pay, offer comprehensive benefit packages and flexible working hours," she said.
"As an industry, we are also taking action to address the misconceptions of the sector, promote the long-term development opportunities and ensure we have a healthy pipeline of entry-level talent to move the sector forward. To do this, it’s crucial we reach young people as they make critical decisions about their careers."
