When you’re in Grade 11 and even Matric, deciding what to do with your life after school can be stressful. How do you even begin to choose a career path from all of the options available in today’s world? From lawyers to doctors, veterinarians, surgeons, firefighters, and pilots, the choices are endless. It can leave even the most confident student feeling unsure and overwhelmed…

A blossoming career in a growing industry

But out of all the available professions to choose from, you’d do well to consider pursuing a career in hospitality – an industry predicted to be the largest by 2020. The hospitality industry in South Africa alone is a multi-million Rand industry – tourism contributes over R80 billion towards South Africa’s GDP. Choosing a career in hospitality is not only an exciting lifestyle choice, but also a smart business move. It opens doors to a range of job opportunities in game and ski lodges, hotels, motels, restaurants, clubs, event planning, pubs, theme parks, casinos, transportation, resorts, cruise liners, travel and tourism, and so much more.

Open the door to opportunity

Hospitality doesn’t just consist of service though. Some people shy away from the industry because they think of it in terms of subservience, or waiting on people hand and foot. But you could have a successful career as a hotel manager, sales manager, travel journalist, game or ski lodge manager, restaurant manager, tour manager, event planner, bar manager, travel consultant, or even a club manager. Studying hospitality management opens doors to a multitude of career options – in public relations, entertainment and recreation, marketing, human resources, management, tourism, and more.

Why study here?

Since 1994, The International Hotel School has grown to offer both full- and part-time courses at three campuses in Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. And as a much-loved tourist destination, there are many benefits to studying in South Africa. You receive in-depth insight into the workings of the industry, and practical experience as well. You’re trained for 18 months in top hotels, guest houses, and restaurants around South Africa, and are job-ready by the time you receive your Diploma. IHS produces excellent graduates who are head-hunted all over the world. So if you’re looking to enter the international arena, hospitality is the industry for you.

Live the unconventional life

So what type of person should consider hospitality as a career? “To really enjoy a career in hospitality, you should like people and hard work, have excellent communication skills, be able to think on your feet, and be prepared to live an unconventional life,” suggests Ruth Paulsen, Marketing Manage of IHS. If glamour, travel, sociability, and not the normal ‘nine-to-five’ are what you want, then the hospitality industry’s definitely for you!