Student experiences working in the hospitality and tourism industry : issues and concerns

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences current undergraduate hospitality and tourism students in Australia have working in the industry. For this research it was decided to use an online blog to capture student’s thoughts about working in the hospitality and tourism industry, as well as describe any experiences they may have had. Students responded positively to the use of the blog as a tool to collect data, providing extensive data describing their experiences. These responses ranged from several lines to several paragraphs and described various specific and general experiences. Through analysis of the blog, a number of areas have been identified as influencing student’s perceptions towards a career in the industry. Areas that leave students with negative perceptions of the industry include relationships with managers, and salaries offered by employers, as well as the general conditions of work within the industry.