Title:
Acquisition of Essential Hospitality Industry Skills: Looking Through the Lens of Hospitality Graduate Employees and Lecturers

Authors:
Lynette Nyagaya, Rosemarie Khayiya, Alex Kivuva, Kenya

Abstract:

Hospitality students in Kenya have to consider their skills carefully to comply with the never-ending demands of the hospitality industry, which is characterised by stiff competition. Although institutions of higher learning providing hospitality programmes have begun to focus on narrowing the gap between hospitality graduate employees' skills and the industry expectations of the skills they should possess, rarely has research dealt with the acquisition of industry skills from the perspectives of hospitality lecturers and hospitality graduate employees already working in the industry following their graduation. This study examines the perceptions of hospitality lecturers and hospitality graduate employees of the acquisition of much-needed skills in the industry. Questionnaires were administered to hospitality lecturers (45) and hospitality graduate employees (191) to measure their agreement concerning the acquisition of industry skills. The results showed that hospitality graduate employees lack confidence, particularly in the acquisition of three essential industry skills: adequate practical skills, communication skills and problem-solving skills. Suggestions are made to hospitality educators for facilitating the acquisition of important industry skills among hospitality graduate employees in Kenya.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijaemr.2025.1303