Latest news: Hospitality growing fast

Hospitality emerging as the fastest growing sector in the UK. 19/09/2011

According to the Sector Skills Council, up to 638,000 job opportunities will be created for skilled workers in the hospitality industry by 2017. With 69,000 roles needed for managerial positions.

The sector currently counts for one in 15 UK jobs and is the UK’s third largest export earner. The authoritative report on the hospitality, travel, leisure and tourism labour market, The State of The Nation 2011, aims to tackle the notion that the sector only offers low skilled employment.

‘The sector offers numerous opportunities for people who want to earn and learn, gain experience and a higher education qualification at a time when unemployment is rising and university tuition fees have soared further,’ said Brian Wisdom, chief executive of People 1st.

Although the economic decline in recent years has made it easier to recruit staff, the report also found that many businesses are struggling to find high-quality managers to fill the high calibre posts that will need filling over the next few years.

As well as an increase in jobs, the number of apprenticeships on offer in the sector has risen from 19,000 to 23,000 since last year.

‘The hospitality and tourism sector is very buoyant during this time of economic difficulty and the only one that is actively creating new roles and recruiting in large numbers, particularly for highly skilled positions. Given its current and future growth, it's a fantastic career option for new entrants; those seeking flexible working such as mums returning to work and older workers, as well as those looking to switch careers,’ said director of policy and research at People 1st and co-author of the report, Martin-Christian Kent.