The hospitality industry offers a diverse range of careers to hospitality services graduates. They may find entry-level positions in visitor information services, safety and sanitation, accommodation booking, dining room operations, beverage services, front-office operations.

High school students interested in building careers in hospitality should know that there are two sides of hospitality operations – one, front-line work where they need to interact with people and deal with customers with a smiling face; and two, back-office operations where they will need to work in kitchen or safety and sanitation.

Career Paths for Hospitality Students

  • Front Office Operations: Dealing directly with customers, either face-to-face or on phone, is an important aspect of front-office operations. Individuals working in these positions are responsible for making accommodation reservations, reviewing reservation information, helping guests check in, billing and check out, making travel arrangements, taking order for and serving food, etc.
  • Back-Office Operations: Back office operations include food preparation and plating, manpower planning, kitchen operations, inventory management, cost control, hospitality accounting, purchasing and storage, budgeting and finance and safety and sanitation. Individuals engaged in back-end operations don’t need to interact with customers frequently. They are responsible for organizing and managing hotel/restaurant operations.

In small organizations, hospitality management professionals may need to handle both front and back-end operations. When guests are not around, they are engaged in checking places where guests don’t go or maintain accounts. They may also be responsible for identifying the requirements and placing orders with the suppliers.

Hospitality Services Education

But no matter what side of the industry interests them, they will need to have undergone some kind of post-secondary hospitality program and developed certain skills and attitudes. Although it’s not necessary to be formally qualified to work in an unorganized sector but to build a rewarding career in organized sector, a post-secondary diploma in hospitality is mandatory.

Centennial College’s hospitality services program prepares students for both front-end and back-end operations in hospitality industry. This one-year program offers them a solid understanding of major hospitality functions and skills required for seeking employment in the industry.

Students will gain in-depth understanding in visitor information services, beverage services, room attendant, front of the house operations, safety and sanitation and kitchen and dining room operations. The program is delivered by experienced faculty members, who also teach job seeking techniques and job interview and resume skills.

In addition to this, they will spend two-days-a-week in a placement at a restaurant or hotel throughout the program tenure. It will give them the practical experience to complement the theory learned in class, gain work experience in a real world setting, and develop relevant industry contacts for future references.

The hospitality college also offers students an opportunity to take certification exams in sanitation and beverage services, helping graduates strengthening their confidence and skills to work into this industry.

Program Eligibility

In order to apply to post-secondary hospitality courses, students must have:

  • Secondary school diploma or equivalent or mature student status (19 years or older)
  • Completed Grade 12 workplace level English