Are parents dissuading their children from pursuing a career in hospitality?

New research from hospitality industry specialist Caterer.com has found that only 15 percent of UK parents want their children to work in the hospitality sector, against almost 42 percent of young people aged 18-24 who are attracted to a role in the industry.

The organisation has raised concerns of the wider impact parental bias contributing to the industry's talent shortage.

'A stepping stone' with 'limited career prospects': why are teenagers turning their backs on the hospitality industry?

According to the study, parents are more likely to encourage their children to work in engineering, law, finance, healthcare, media and marketing, construction and manufacturing than in hospitality.

Caterer.com director Neil Patterson said that although many young people aspire to go to university, they should keep their career options when it comes to their career path, adding that "the changing labour market means a vocational qualification or specialised experience are just as valuable to employers as a tertiary degree."

He issued a word of warning to parents, saying that they "should be aware of the impact they can have on their child’s decision and ensure they strike the right balance between supporting and intervening," as "an unconscious bias or misconceptions of an industry can prevent young Brits from pursuing their passions and branching out beyond a traditional career path."

UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls said the findings highlight "an opportunity" for hospitality businesses to "debunk the misconceptions about our industry to ensure both young talent and their parents know about the vast career options it offers."

“We would encourage all employers to build relationships with nearby schools, colleges and universities to set up work experience or open days, making sure that as these young people are making fully informed career decisions, and their parents are educated about what a career in hospitality can provide for their children.”

It is worth noting that while young people would consider working in the industry above working in sales, retail or manufacturing, most would rather work in media and marketing - with 61 percent of 18-24 year olds considering a career in the field - healthcare, law, finance, engineering and performance arts.

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall and restrict access – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 12 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 500,000 followers across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.