The team: Anne, Dave & Mike. The aims of the research group. Hospitality Management & employability

Professional & Academic Development Employability Hours Initial research first lecture first week

undertaken by Alison Bell & Dave Egan.

Data available for the EHTM programme first year data shows a similar picture across subject areas.

"Employability Skills should be a key part of a degree course"

Which skills do you think employers most value?

Which of the following skills do you think employers will value the most from new graduates? Please tick the 3 most important:

Which of the following skills do you think you have improved due to your studies on this degree? Tick the 3 most important:

The Students View of the Supervised Work Experience Period

People management, this is one of the hardest skills to develop and I feel the lectures we have at SHU could offer a lot of guidance in developing our people management skills for the future.

  Communication Teamwork Time management Leadership Organisational studies

No, as I believe that as much as you prepare for the real working world, you can only start to truly learn when you are placed in industry employment. At this stage the skills learnt come into use.

  Self- confidence skills, so that people do have a little more

confidence and preparation before starting their placement and going into brand new surroundings, as it can be quite nerve racking.

  Not many others as I feel you learn more skills etc as you are

working  The importance of shadowing in other departments to understand

the business

Business accounting, payroll. I really feel that as managers we would need a very strong understanding in this field. Additionally, key understandings in business law should be something that we learn in university and not out in the workplace.

Time management Organisational studies Problem solving skills 

 

  Basic Business budgeting Managing others Business email etiquette (inter-office and to guests and clients)

Personally, I feel my self-management skills need to be enhanced as I am not a confident person and also I found it really difficult adapting to working life; having to take on the responsibility of running my own functions and dinners and making decisions on my own

Employer's Perspective

Welcome new blood to the team, keen to build relations with SBS

Dedicated and professional in their approach

Fitting into the role - expectations and reality

Following on from interviewing employers they commented on the following:

- They rated communication as the most important skill their employees should develop

- Effective communication in the work place included the use of face to face contact, e-mails, memos, newsletters, team briefing, away days, workshops.

- Interviewing - a telling story

Team and communication 1/2

Reflective skills 3/4

Numeric skills and writing 4/5

Specific skills - attention to detail

Leadership, taking own initiative, problem solving

Connection with University from Managerial position

Develop the students to their full potential

Giving something back

Commercial awareness Experience of the industry Knowledge transfer- Customer experience Friendly individuals- talked about personal

profiles Organisational skills Dress/appearance IT

Forecast

Innovation

Finance

Sales

When asked about their own skills the 'top five' did not feature

Skills pertinent to specific organisations was common among all interviewees

Strong connections with University

What is employability?

Professionalism (Soft employability skills ) Employability skills Management specific skills Subject specific skills