Employability of Hospitality Graduates: Student and Industry Perspectives

Students in Taiwan have to consider carefully their career planning in order to comply with the demands of the hospitality industry’s competitive environment. Although hospitality educators have begun to focus on bridging the gap between the skills of hospitality graduates and the expectations of the industry, few studies have dealt with attributes for the overall employability of graduates from the perspectives of senior students and managers. This study investigates the perceptions of senior hospitality students and industry managers of employability in the industry. Questionnaires were administered to managers of hospitality businesses (n = 105) and to senior students (n = 193) in order to measure the importance of each attribute and student readiness in each competency. The results showed that from the perspectives of senior students and managers, both students and graduates lack confidence in their employability, particularly in areas of professional management skills. Finally, suggestions are provided for facilitating the employability of hospitality graduates in Taiwan.