Sunday 11 September 2011

Hospitality Education then and now


Hospitality Education then and now

I had finished my 12th standard in science and I was looking for a degree course.My father wanted me to study engineering as he is an engineer by profession. I was not very keen to take up engineering as I wanted to study any course which does not have Mathematics or Physics.I choose Hotel Management. I joined Christ College, Bangalore  for the 3 year Bachelor’s in Hotel Management  popularly known as BHM course.  

This 3 year Degree Course was affiliated to Bangalore University and we were the first batch of 30 students .Being the first batch, we did not have any seniors in college for any advise or guidance. We had to depend on limited hotel management books that our library could offer. There were no journals or magazines relating to Hotel Management. There was no internet, computers, laptops, tablets,, smart phones ,Social Media or  24  hrs Television Channels. The only source of information was our faculty members , or limited books in the library.

Bangalore had few 5 star hotels. May be about 6 five star hotels and very few stand alone restaurants that served speciality and international cuisine. There were no shopping malls, food courts or multiplexes. Our exposure to the industry was limited to the 6 months industrial exposure training.

In  2011,when I teach Hotel Management to the my students who were born in early 1990’s ,I envy them. These students are born post Liberalization .There exposure to the industry is amazing. Most of them have travelled overseas for vacations and many have experienced star hotels as ‘Guests’. They have an indepth understanding of the Hotel & Tourism Industry before they join the course.

The greatest advantage that students of today possess is access to correct information or data. Technology has revolutionized education and has changed the way  of teaching and learning. Internet is the biggest advantage that our students have. Any kind of information is available to them.

Hospitality Education is all about practical exposure. Walk into to a super market or a food court, one can see any kind of ingredient or cuisine. In 1990’s International and Specialty Cuisine was restricted only to 5 star Hotels .Today its available in Food Courts and stand alone restaurants at affordable prices.

The exposure from Television and Internet  is  enormous. The Travel ,Food and Life Style channels enhances learning and exposure.  Websites are developed by companies for every product or service they offer. Videos from YouTube or data from Wikipedia or related sites helps in updation.

Over the last 15 years, plenty of work is done in the field of Hospitality. New concept Hotels have opened across the country.  Thousands of books, magazines and journals   relating to hospitality are published.  Up gradation of Hospitality Education Curriculum, Quality Faculty, Hospitality Research and Publications, World Class Infrastructure & Facilities and Placements in Hotels and Services Sector has changed the face of Hospitality Education.

However,one thing that remained  constant in 1990’s and today is the need for a proactive Service ‘Attitude’. This element has not changed and will never change in the near future.