What is it?

Businesses in the Hospitality and Catering sector include hotels, motels and camping sites, as well as restaurants, bars and canteens.

For advice about employment in the  food and drink manufacturing sector go to Improve Skills the employer-led, government sponsored organisation for this sector.

For advice about employment in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism go to People 1st the employer-led, government sponsored organisation for this sector

Facts and figures

• 49% of workers in the sector are low skilled (with qualifications at Level 1 or no qualifications) compared with 40% of all workers. Only 9% of workers have qualifications at NVQ level 4 or above
• Employees are more likely to work part-time than their equivalents in all industries (55% compared with 36%)
• Workers are more likely to be aged 29 or under than those in all industries (41% compared with 23%) and are more likely to travel less than 5km to work (59% compared with 44%)

source: Sussex Enterprise 

Higher education qualifications suitable for the sector

• foundation degrees / HNDs such as Food and Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Event Management, Hospitality Management
• undergraduate degrees such as BA Entrepreneurship in Hospitality, BA Food and Culinary Arts, BA International Hospitality Management
• postgraduate degrees such as MA or PhD in Culinary Arts

Go to Key Routes to compare qualifications and routes into higher education for Chef/professional cookery, Bar management/Licensed trade, Hotel management and Housekeeping and use the information sheets at the bottom of this page. 

In addition, the Kent & Medway Lifelong Learning Network has produced information and a range of leaflets and information about the Health and Well-being Framework (this includes Beauty therapy, Child care and Early years studies, Health and social care, Hospitality and catering, Science and Sport and leisure).  

Here we are focusing on higher education but there are many other qualifications and routes to study available including NVQs, Apprenticeships and BTEC awards. Talk to your local college or private training provider about what's available.

Where to study

Courses differ from place to place... institutions normally develop and teach their own courses so the content and focus of each course can be very different. It pays to shop around!

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