Getting a graduate job in hospitality, tourism and sport

If you're looking for a graduate role in the sector, you may require a mix of different qualifications and skills

Do I need a related degree?

This depends on the area of work that you're looking to enter.

Many jobs listed in the sector don't require a relevant degree and some people who are already working as restaurant managers, tour manager and hotel managers may not have accessed higher education at all.

According to figures from the Labour Force Survey, 20% of the sector's workforce as a whole hold a degree or higher, while 32% of all managers in the sector have a higher education qualification. 

However, that isn't to say that higher level skills aren't required in the sector. The number of people with diplomas or certificates of higher education is increasing, and has been for the last decade.

What's more, candidates with higher level skills are in demand to help improve standards in the industry.

In certain roles, for example a sports and exercise scientist, a relevant degree is required.

What skills do employers want?

• Communication skills
• Adaptability
• Team working
• Customer handling skills
• Willingness to work unsociable hours

Where can I get work experience?

Work experience can be gained in a number of ways. For example, you could work part time while at university, during the summer, take a work placement as part of your degree or do some voluntary work with local authority sports centres.

There are some schemes available that help you gain recognition for the work experience you have gained in the hospitality industry.

The Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Adding Value for Employability (HAVE) Scheme is delivered by the Institute of Hospitality and helps university students reflect on the development of their skills during their experience and how to demonstrate their development to prospective employers.

Kings Recruit offers placements, work experience and voluntary opportunities in sports management, coaching, holiday camps and cruise ships.

Challenger Sports is one of a number of organisations that provides British soccer coaching camps in the USA. Demand is high for Britons who are thinking of pursuing a career in coaching, and the experience could significantly improve your employability.

Opportunities to complete voluntary work are advertised through Do-it, where you could find yourself gaining experience helping with outdoor pursuits, fundraising, sports coaching, activity management and more.

To find work placements and internships in the hospitality, tourism and sport sector, search for work experience.

How do I find a graduate job in hospitality?

There are some graduate training schemes with some of the big hotel and restaurant firms, for example Marriott hotels, Macdonald Hotels, Carluccio's, Nando's, Whitbread, Mitchell and Butlers. Application details are usually available on the companies' websites.

Other areas of the sector, for example events management, are harder to enter. In these cases, work experience and networking is invaluable.

As the vast majority of organisations in the sector are small to medium enterprises (SMEs), this means less formal ways of finding and applying for jobs, such as speculative applications, can be effective. Smaller businesses often don’t have the recruitment budgets of larger organisations, so many vacancies are left unadvertised.

To find graduate jobs in the sector, search graduate jobs in hospitality, tourism and sport.