THIS YEAR all graduates of CERT's two-year full-time hospitality skills course found employment. This is hardly surprising as hotels are crying out for staff and school-leavers no longer seem interested in training for the hotel and catering and tourism industry. It's an area that is often considered useful for a part-time job but hardly a serious career.

However, despite the general decline in interest, the hospitality skills course is still in high demand among school-leavers, according to Grainne O'Malley, press and information officer with CERT, the national tourism training body. This demand is balanced by employer demand for graduates, she adds.

The down-side is the starting salary, usually around £100 a week although at the moment recruitment agencies are reporting a 10 per cent increase in pay levels for trained staff as industry finds it increasingly difficult to convince people of the attractions of the tourism industry.

The anti-social nature of the work has to be considered. People work weekends, bank holidays and nights. In general, hours worked in hotels restaurants and licensed premises are long: a recent survey commissioned by CERT showed that 58 per cent of CERT graduates work more than the national average 40.8 hours worked each week by industrial workers. Split shifts were widespread.

For the undeterred, the hospitality skills course trains students to professional-craft standard in restaurant service, accommodation skills and bar skills. They also receive training in basic cookery, reception techniques, new technology, languages, hygiene and tourism studies. The course is certified by the National Tourism Board.

"The main thrust of the programme is to impart a keen understanding of the tourism industry, quality service, customer care and customer satisfaction," explains O'Malley. The course was originally designed to prepare people for work in small hotels and large guesthouses, she says, but employment scope has now widened and people can find work in large hotels and restaurants.

Multi-skilled staff, such as hospitality assistants, can move easily within the working areas of a business as pressure demands. This means that the day's work could include periods based in the kitchen, bar, bedrooms, restaurant or reception. This may seem like a tall order, so prospective hospitality assistants may be grateful to find out that they can specialise later in their chosen area.

Initially, students do a two-year, full-time college-based course. All students get a grant, which includes tuition fees and a weekly training allowance. Successful graduates can top up their qualifications by pursuing CERT's supervisory training courses.

The survey commissioned by CERT showed that employees were generally satisfied with the industry and over two thirds indicated that they would be likely to stay in the industry. Almost four-fifths would follow the same career path if given the choice again.