Vocational education and food and beverage experience: issues for career development

The research presented here examines the use of vocational education and food and beverage experience in the development of a hotel manager’s career. To achieve this aim, the paper begins by introducing the concept of career development. This is followed by an outline of the current debate surrounding the shifting emphasis from craft to managerial skills training. Next, a range of findings from a study of the career paths of hotel managers in the UK is presented. These include the role of vocational education in career development, and experience in the food and beverage function as a recognised career track to general management. The study indicates the prevalence of vocational education as a starting point for managers’ careers, and illustrates that, despite calls from industry for increased management training, traditional food and beverage experience is still important for a career in the hospitality industry. The implications of these findings for career development are discussed.