Great stuff Trevor Walford. Our Hotel School at My Humble House will be operated by the very same managers that works at the hotel in order to provide fresh, up to date and relevant content to the students. It will be a vocational training program which will provide applicable skills and not pure theory. #linkedinfollowers #beingmorehuman #hospitality #leadership #creative #founder #founderstories #iconinthemaking #Pangaea #INTI #Svalbard #AURUM #hospitalityindustry #disruptingthefuture #masterplannedcommunity #profitistheconsequenceofourpurpose #socialluxury #sustainablebusiness #profitsharingisthefuture #makinghospitalitymorehuman #personalizationishuman #newbusinessmodel #MyHumbleHouse #hotelschool #branding #educationinhospitality #midliferebirth #brandstrategy #brand #conference #hospitalityconference #merida #yucatan #givingback https://lnkd.in/gAbsDXGi
International Restaurant service consultant .(training,mentoring, coaching) Secret Shopper Services
Are We Leading Hospitality Students Down the Wrong Path? Recently, I’ve been seeing many posts from colleges showcasing beautifully presented dishes and impressive culinary setups. It’s great to see the effort and pride in these presentations, but it got me thinking about something deeper: the background of the lecturers who are shaping the next generation of hospitality professionals. When I look into the profiles of some of these educators, I’m often struck by how little real-world experience they have in the industry. Many of them have academic qualifications, but lack significant time in hotels, restaurants, or other areas of hospitality. This issue was reinforced when I was invited to give a talk at a school . The teacher leading the cooking and domestic skills classes admitted to having no experience in the hotel or hospitality sectors. This left me puzzled and concerned. How can we expect students to succeed in an industry as demanding as hospitality if the people teaching them lack firsthand experience of what it’s really like? The hospitality industry isn’t just about following recipes or learning theory from textbooks. It’s about understanding service standards, working under pressure, managing teams, handling guests, and adapting to the ever-changing dynamics of a hotel or restaurant environment. These are lessons you learn on the job, not in a classroom. Without that real-world knowledge, lecturers may inadvertently lead students down the wrong path, giving them a skewed or incomplete view of what to expect. I’ve spent years in the industry and have always believed that the best educators are those who’ve walked the walk. A lecturer who’s spent time in a kitchen knows the pace, the pressures, and the precision required. A lecturer who’s worked in a dining room or hotel lobby understands guest expectations, operational challenges, and the nuances of exceptional service. This kind of experience allows them to teach not just the “how,” but the “why” behind every skill. I worry that by allowing individuals with limited industry experience to lead these programs, we risk setting students up for failure. They might graduate with knowledge of techniques or trends but lack the skills, mindset, and resilience to thrive in a fast-paced, competitive environment. This is not to say there aren’t excellent educators out there. I’ve met many who balance teaching with rich industry experience, and their impact is incredible. But I can’t ignore the growing number of cases where the connection to the real world seems to be missing. My question to colleges, universities, and hospitality schools is this: Are we truly preparing students for the reality of the industry, or are we creating a gap between education and employment? If lecturers don’t have strong field experience, are we equipping students with the tools they need to succeed?
This is so often the case.