Tracy Harkison

Hospitality Degrees in New Zealand: Exploratory Research: the Future of New Zealand Hospitality Degrees Tracy Harkison

Recent years have seen a huge increase in the number of hospitality qualifications offered in New Zealand, after the first degree becoming available in 1993. There are now six providers of hospitality degrees. These recent developments raise the issue of whether industry and providers considered the ramifications of introducing degree qualifications. This thesis explores the place hospitality degrees have here in New Zealand. It takes into consideration the perspectives of students, providers and the industry on hospitality degrees. Industry feels that the degree is not enough to enter the work force without an amount of work experience and is very sceptical of what level of management a graduate should apply for. Providers felt that it was industry, which had pushed for this level of qualification although nothing had been done to make the qualification more acceptable to industry by introducing a bench marking system for qualifications for positions within the hospitality industry. Students felt that the degree was a way to formalise the experience they had already gained in the industry to obtain a recognised qualification.