Tourism and Hospitality Study

Since the government announcing the winner of the both Integrated Resort (IR), many young Singaporeans pour into study Tourism, Hospitality and Casino Management.. Many institutes in Singapore starts to offer these course to the demand of students from local and overseas.

Photo taken from Tourism Academy Sentosa

Many students did not know that this tour industry is very demanding with long working hours and low pay... This is a 24hrs, 7 days a week industry. Hotels staffs, Airport staffs, Travel Agency staffs, Restaurant staffs, casinos card dealers, tourist guide etc.. all have to work irregular shift duties including weekends and public holiday.... Because travel industry is service industry.. and service is an extraordinary job.. You must have the passion to this industry, if not you will get burn out by the irregular shift work and high service expectations.. Imagine the world without service industry? Your weekends will be boring if all the retail outlets, transportation, food court, shopping malls, entertainment are all closed.... Everyone will have no where to go during weekends and holidays.. That is why i said service industry is an extraordinary industry..

Based on my experience in interviewing candidates for counter staffs position.. Most students who graduated from these institutes with a certificate or diploma.. or some with a degree in tourism management... are expecting to land in a managing position or supervision position.. They refuse to accept lowly position.. and they are expecting a higher pay.. And most important of all.. they DO NOT want to work during the weekends and public holidays... With the paper qualification.. they can choose and pick.. unlike those who are inexperience and without paper qualification..

So many students graduate with a paper qualification.. and hunting for management position.. then who is going to work at the bottom.. What this industry needs most are services staffs and not management staffs.. Do you think the IR will employ only managers and supervisors?.. Answer: NO.. They need more service staffs for housekeeping, front desk, landscaping, laundry, waiters, janitors, chefs, bellboys, card dealers, security guards, entertainers etc... These are the recent jobs still available from the IR.. Why are these tourism and hospitality students not taking up these jobs?? Because it is lowly paid and hard work.. Simple.. every youngsters now hopes to be on top of the ladder, rather than have a humble climb from below.. They think their paper qualification could bring them there.. but sad to say, not for tourism industry.. Good Service require passions, experience and practise to nurture, not by the books..

My service motto "You will never knows what the next customer expects of you...."