Increasing opportunities to work in broader tourism industry

TOURISM REMAINS Ireland’s largest indigenous industry, employing more than 300,000 people. Hotels, restaurants and bars – or hospitality businesses – have traditionally been the major employers within the sector.

However, emerging areas such as events and leisure activities are increasingly providing employment opportunities.

How to apply

Those interested in a career in tourism can start with a Fáilte Ireland skills courses (13-16 weeks), which provide a Fetac level 4 qualification, before moving on to one-, two- or three- year courses provided by colleges of further education and institutes of technology which offer a Fetac level 6 qualification.

Graduates can then consider progressing on to take an honours degree at level 8. Those interested in a career in this industry can gain their qualifications in stages at their own pace.

General courses

General tourism courses give a solid background in general management subjects such as finance, IT, human resources, sales, marketing and communications, twinned with specific subjects such as tourism, transport and heritage studies and a European language.

Hotel/hospitality management

Students can apply directly to PLC and IT’s for two-year level 6 courses in tourism and hospitality studies and tourism with business.

For those now considering their CAO application, there are several level 7 and 8 business studies degrees specialising in hotel/hospitality management on offer by Shannon School of Hotel and Catering and ITs in Dublin, Dundalk, Cork, Galway-Mayo, Waterford and Tralee.

Graduates can pursue careers in hospitality, hotel and restaurant management, the broader tourism field and the retail and services sectors.

Culinary arts, bar and restaurant management

A common starting point is the two-year advanced certificate in professional cookery, offered in 10 ITs. Degree programmes in culinary arts are also offered at ITs in Dublin, Cork, Tralee and Galway-Mayo. Bar management is offered at DIT, with wine and beverage studies at IT Tallaght.

Event management

Event management courses include subjects such as planning, production and control of events, design, finance, sponsorship, marketing and sales.

Programmes are offered by ITs in Dublin, Dundalk, Limerick and Sligo.

Front office/marketing and heritage studies

Hotel front office studies are provided by Athlone, Limerick and Letterkenny ITs. Heritage studies, focusing on archaeology, folklore, genealogy, geography, geology, history, literature, music and natural history, is offered by Galway-Mayo IT.

Marketing specifically for the tourism industry is covered in programmes offered by level 8 degree programmes at DIT and Waterford IT.

Traditional craft and skill programmes

Skills training courses, lasting 13 weeks, in traditional areas like cookery, restaurant, bar and catering are held in Fáilte Ireland training centres in Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick, for those at Leaving Cert standard.

One- and two-year full-time courses in similar craft subjects are held in ITs and lead to a level 6 advanced certificate.

Students can use their Fetac points from their short course qualification or their Leaving Cert points to enter these courses. Many programmes with a particular craft or skill emphasis are grant-assisted without any means testing, so students are paid a training allowance while attending college.

Work-based learning

In work-based learning – or “earn and learn” programmes – students work full-time with their employer, attending college on a day-release or block-release basis.

These programmes are offered by Fáilte Ireland, in collaboration with the institutes of technology, Siptu, Ibec, the IHF, the RAI and the VFI, to respond to employers’ needs.

The programmes currently available are: trainee manager development programme (three years); professional restaurant and bar service (18 months); professional cookery (national apprenticeship programme – two to three years); professional cookery (immersion programme – nine months).

They are offered in ITs around the State. In many cases, the student’s salary is supplemented while they are at college by a Fáilte Ireland training allowance.

Further information on opportunities and courses are available from Fáilte Ireland at 1850 256256, or on its website at www.picktourism.ie

• Tomorrow: engineering/ architecture
• Listen to Brian Mooney's podcast at www.irishtimes.com/education