Helwan University
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Hotel Management Department
Studying Practical Programs of Food and Beverage Courses
and Industry Requirements for Hotel Management
Students in University Faculties
A Proposed Frame for a Ph.D Degree in Hotel Management
By
Ahmed Hassan Metowaly Mohammed
B.Sc., Hotel Management, 2000
M.Sc., Hotel Management, 2006
Under Supervision of
Prof. Dr. Ahmed Nour El- Din Elias
Head, Hotel Management Department
Ex. Dean, Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Helwan University
Ass. Prof. Dr. Lamia Hosny Saleh
Assistant Professor, Hotel Management Department
Faculty of Tourism and Hotel Management
Helwan University
2007/2008
Over last two decades, the hospitality management education
programs have blossomed. As the hospitality industry has expanded, the
supply of qualified human resources in the supervisory and managerial
ranks has not kept pace. Thus, the demand for more better-qualified
supervisor and managers has given raise to a multitude of postsecondary
education programs providing four-year and postgraduate education.
Interestingly enough, as a shortage of talented supervisors and managers
given rise to more hotel, restaurant and hospitality management
educational programs.
One of the unique characteristics of hospitality management
education is its professional orientation. Like business school (of which
the hospitality programs are apart), hospitality programs tend to stress
practical skill development. For this reason, hospitality education
programs develop and capitalize upon associations with professional in
the hospitality industry as a means of enhancing student learning and
their educational learning in general. There are several ways of training
for jobs in hotel and catering industry ranging from what is called on-
job-training (for people who are in employment and are taught the work
by senior staff) to full time courses in further education or private
colleges, right through to degree and postgraduate level. Whichever
method of training, there is no substitute for work experience. The skills
needed to work in hospitality industry cannot be learned from book. So,
even though there are degree courses in hotel and catering management,
students on the courses don’t spend all their time in lecture rooms,
absorbing theory. The courses have a high practical content and can
contain up to as much as one year’s placement in the industry so that
student can learn at first hand. During such periods, students learn to do
all levels of job. Even a highly qualified student hoping eventually to
manage a top establishment will have spent time working in kitchen,
portering, etc. there are sound reasons for this. First reason is that
managers rarely have to ask a staff member to do jobs that they don’t
fully understand themselves and another is that they know exactly which
skills are looking for when they recruit staff.
One example of that arrangement is the development of student
internships. It is become a vital part of the total student learning
experience. The mean purpose of the internship is to enable college
student to gain valuable work experience within the hospitality industry.
This experience should be designed to complement the course work taken
so that the student background of education and experience is enhanced.
Food service industry (one of the hospitality segments) has become
one of the largest industries all over the world. According to the National
Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry is fast becoming more
influential and important in the U.S. economy, as it spans almost 40
industry segments including commercial and non-commercial dining like
school cafeterias and military restaurants services. According to NRA
(2008) projection report, the restaurant will achieve nearly $558 Billion
in sales and employs an estimated 13.1 million people, or 9 percent of the
U.S. workforce making it the largest private sector employer in the
United States in 2008.
With the rapid growth of this industry, varies of guest needs and
tastes and revolution of modern technology, needs for qualified food and
beverage staff is expanded. So, we will concentrate on studying the
current provision of food and beverage (practical) learning and internship
programs in undergraduate higher education that has been recognized as
being fundamental and major contributing components of hospitality
management programs, and are seen as keys preparatory route for
industrial work experience to keep pace with the requirements of food
service industry.
Aims of the study
The aims of the study are:
Evaluating of the content, appropriateness and academic rigour of
practical food and beverage modules within undergraduate
hospitality management programs.
Studying the effectiveness of internship programs for
undergraduates
Finding out the food service industry requirements
Producing a suggested framework for food and beverage provision
at undergraduate level match with industry requirements.
Methods
An investigative approach that provided both qualitative and
quantitative data obtained through questionnaires and interviews as well
as a comprehensive review of available literature will adopt, this
includes:
1. Survey study to identify the number and types of courses and their
food and beverage provision.
2. Questionnaires for academic staff and students will distribute on all
investigated faculties to determine their opinions of the courses and
module provision.
3. Personal interviews with academic and practical food and beverage
educators to get additional in-depth information
4. Personal interviews with industry personnel in varied types of
organizations.
