Hospitality
and tourism students base their career choices on the treatment they receive
during work placement, a survey has revealed.
The
report, conducted by hospitality careers specialist Springboard UK, drew
responses from ten focus groups dotted around the UK.
It
found that placements reinforce the industry’s image of poor pay and long hours
– even though most students continue to believe it is a good industry to work
in.
Overall,
it found a number of student expectations were being met, but that more needs
to be done to meet student, employer and university expectations of the
schemes.
Universities
and employers said supervision and post-placement analysis are key areas where
the scheme is lacking.
Commenting
on the findings Jane Riches, national programme manager, Springboard UK, said:
“Work placement is worthwhile because it gives you a years on-the-job training
and enables you to put the course theory into practice. But there are both good
and bad companies out there and if you are lucky and get a good company there’s
a lot that you can get out of it.
“Our
research shows there are some horrendous companies out there who mistreat
people on work placements. This is a shame because for many students the
placement provides a pivotal point in their course. We hope this will make the
schemes better for all concerned.”
To
correct flaws in the scheme Hospitality Plus and Springboard UK have created a
pack for employers to show them what can be gained from work experience.
The
pack looks at the scheme from both sides so students and employers can see what
is trying to be achieved.
