by Alan Campbell, Featured Contributor
Perhaps Not
IT HAS BECOME apparent that the new generation of so called hoteliers is upon us. The next leaders of our industry are knocking at the door. The question in mind is do we the current guard open the door? My reason for asking is that I had the privilege of sitting in an hotelier graduating class in the last week. There were many discussions about what the next generation could expect in the real world.
Would it be easy to find a position with a chain, as opposed to an independent hotel? What were the advantages, pros, and cons? There were hotel representatives on campus recruiting the top of the class graduates. I sat down with about 15 graduates for over 2 hours as they bounced question after question at me. The questions were perhaps more concerns than work related questions. With all of the new technology that is out there, where do they fit in? I advised the students that the tech part was a learned process, however they need to have the attitude that is necessary in the hospitality business that is not a learned skill, you either have it or you don’t. I also mentioned that during the next year probably a good percentage of the class would be in other business other than hospitality.
It might have been a good choice at the start of the junior year, and as exciting as they found it, implementing it in real life is completely different. We discussed customer service issues because it is very prominent in today’s news. Not just in hotels but in all businesses that deal with the public. There were 278 graduates who received their BS, and 4 with post graduate in masters’ category. I can only hope that they as the new guard are up to the task that is before them.
I see the young hoteliers at work when travel and stay at hotels around the USA. Some look lost as they scurry across the lobbies of the hotel. I do hope that they are getting the proper training required to ensure that the industry will march on to a successful end. In turn down the years they will be handing down the next chapter in our industry. Off the subject since Aruna Dhir published a article on the dress for success witch the young new hoteliers should take stalk in. In the hotel industry well-dressed is related to well pay. Many years ago I had an offer to work on Hawaii, and as small it may sound I turned down, solely on the fact that in Hawaii the only people who wear suits are lawyers going to court. I intensely dislike flower shirts. It would mean a new wardrobe that once you go back to mainland it becomes obsolete. Personal opinion people I grew up with a GQ magazine under my arm
Don’t worry – they’ll be fine. What are your first memories as manager in the industry? Your feelings in the first public talk? “They learn much more than we’ll ever know…”
I am of the next generation, sort of. I agree with you that many will work in other industries but that has not changed in the last 40 years. Not in Germany as far as I can tell. Greetings!