Undergraduates' Experience and Perceptions of Tourism and Hospitality Work Environments

Abstract

Intern experience can provide higher education institutions (HEI) valuable information on employers relationships towards the younger workforce in the tourism and hospitality industry (THI). The main purpose of this article is to investigate how interns are treated during their placements. Are they considered to be the companies future human capital, and thereby supported and stimulated to apply for jobs in the service industry that cannot prosper without devoted personnel? Novices and interns are always more vulnerable than more experienced personnel to the consequences of economic crisis and employer exploitation. Yet the tourism and hospitality industry constantly faces shortages of well-trained waiters, cooks, receptionists, animators, chambermaids, and other workers. A survey was carried out among interns that reveals reasons why some students during their study decide to leave the tourism and hospitality industry (or not enter it at all). We investigated their overall attitudes towards internships and their perceptions of conditions within the tourism and hospitality industry. The survey was conducted with a sample of students who completed placements in various tourism companies. A questionnaire seeking information on their satisfaction and circumstances of learning in the workplace was developed and distributed to them. The results of the content analysis provide useful information on employers' attitudes and the quality of working environments.

Required And Acquired Level Of Graduates’ Skills In Hospitality Management

“…Like the studies by Beneitone, et al (2007), Rok (2013) and Villa & Poblete (2008), the internships are contexts of learning however, and paradoxically those who did not participate in such experiences demonstrated higher levels of confidence in their competencies. This results need further research in order to understand the reason of that.…”

“…These can be acquired through education and technical training programs, through contexts of training or simulating of professional reality, like internships. Dortch, cited by Rok (2013), considers that internships allows a structured apprenticeship experience in a particular field of work. According to the author, the internship enables the student to apply the knowledge learned, in today's labour market, helping to bridge the gap between theory and practice.…”

Satisfaction from Internship Program and Changing Attitude: A Perceptual Survey from Hotel Management Students

“…Internship program helps to fulfill the gap between job requirements and skill availability in the students. Rok (2013) revealed a significance positive relationship between internships and student's job performance. He reported that respondents expressed satisfaction with experience gained; their remarks prove that this affected positively to their self-confidence and self-motivation.…”

Učenje na delovnem mestu v kontekstu visokošolskega praktičnega usposabljanja

“…(2010), Govekar-Okoliš in Kranjčec (2016), Govekar-Okoliš (2018), Govekar-Okoliš in Kermavnar (2020), pa tudi Repe (2016). Zopiatis in Theocharous (2013) proučujeta konceptualni vidik prakse študentov turizma, pogosto je raziskovan vidik zadovoljstva študentov in/ali delodajalcev s prakso (Beggs idr., 2008;Hussein in La Lopa, 2018;Richardson, 2009;Rok, 2013;Tse, 2010), pa tudi vpliv prakse na karierne odločitve študentov (Chen in Shen, 2012;Kusluvan in Kusluvan, 2000;Richardson, 2009), pridobljene kompetence na praksi v turističnem sektorju (Baum, 2002;Ferreras-Garcia idr., 2019) ter učinkovito partnerstvo med univerzo in gospodarstvom (Busby in Gibson, 2010;Rawlinson in Dewhurst, 2013;Zahra in Pavia, 2012).…”

“…Tako Feldman in Bolino ( 2004) kot pomemben dejavnik uspešnosti PU poudarjata skladnost pričakovanj študentov s priložnostmi, ki jih ponudi podjetje. Povzemamo poglavitne koristi (Leslie in Richardson, 2000;Rok, 2013).…”