Catering training and labour market competence requirements in hotels and restaurants: the case of Nkumba University graduates

Abstract

The study titled "Catering Training and Labour Market competence requirements in Hotels and Restaurants" was carried out in the School of Science (SCOS), Department of Hospitality at Nkumba University to examine the Catering training process against the competences or skills needed in the labour market in hotels and restaurants for effective performance in a bid to improve the quality HMIC graduates and the quality of training HMIC training programme at Nkumba University. The following objectives guided the study; investigation of the competencies that are needed in the Catering field, examination of the content in HMIC training curriculum at Nkumba University and analysis of the training process during the University. A descriptive case study design was adopted using qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. The study took a sample of 36 respondents which comprised of the training staff, HMIC students in their final year, the graduates already working and hotel managers, who were selected using purposive sampling technique, simple random and snowball. Data were collected using documentary analysis, in-depth interviews and observation. The study revealed that communication skills, customer service skills, computer knowledge and IT skills and knowledge of the level of service expected. Although the study established that most course units were relevant to the labour market requirements apart from a few course units like rural sociology, and catering law, the University provided theoretical training. Also evident from the findings is that the lecture method is one of the methods commonly used by HMIC trainers. The study concluded that HMIC training programme at Nkumba University was relevant to the tasks the graduates handled at work. Although the curriculum content was considered adequate, the lecture approach of training commonly used had its shortcomings in terms of imparting the graduates with relevant skills/competences required by the labour market in hotels and restaurants. The theoretical training of HMIC programme without the practice cannot equip the graduates with the practical competences/skills required of them to perform practical tasks. I recommend that the department of hospitality at Nkumba University should adopt a more "practical" approach to training which can involve the students practically so as to make the training more relevant to the requirements of the labour market in hotels and restaurants.