Malaysian Hospitality Industry: Graduates’ Justifications for Leaving the Industry

Rozila Ahmad,Basri Rashid,Nurhazani Mohd Shariff

doi:10.32890/ijms.21.2.2014.10409

Rozila Ahmad, Basri Rashid + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.32890/ijms.21.2.2014.10409

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Abstract

Continuous skilled-employee shortage has been reported in the hospitality industry despite the mushrooming growth of higher learning institutions off ering the Bachelor of Hospitality Management (BHM) programme. The purpose of this study is to assess the BHM graduates’ areas of employment and their justifi cation for not seeking employment or leaving the hospitality industry. To meet the purpose, a quantitative research paradigm supported by open-ended questions was used. This study focused on Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) BHM graduates. The fi ndings revealed that the UUM BHM graduates’ Islamic faith plays a signifi cant role in the religious Muslim graduates’ career paths. However, as widely documented in the literature, unattractive compensation in the hospitality industry appears to be the most important reason for graduates to seek employment in other industries. This is followed by poor career development opportunities and working conditions. Information from this study may help remedy the continuous shortage of skilled employees in the industry. It may also ensure the graduates’ ability to secure suitable jobs. In addition, it indirectly helps in the initiative to improve the BHM curriculum. Keywords: Hospitality, workforce, graduate, employment, hospitality industry, career, Malaysia.

Highlights

A shortage of skilled employees in the Malaysian hospitality industry is continuously reported despite the increasing number of colleges and universities offering the Bachelor in Hospitality Management (BHM) Programme (Ahmad & Zainol, 2011; Zahari, Hanafiah, Othman, Jamaluddin & Zulkifly, 2010)
While many argue that the industry failed to provide appealing working conditions, hotel managers claim that fresh graduates do not have sufficient knowledge, skills and capabilities to hold supervisory or management positions (Ahmad & Zainol, 2011; Patah, Zain, Abdullah & Radzi, 2009)
To fill the gap in the literature, this study aims to assess the Malaysian BHM graduates’ employment areas and explore why BHM graduates pursue their career in other industries

Summary

Introduction

A shortage of skilled employees in the Malaysian hospitality industry is continuously reported despite the increasing number of colleges and universities offering the Bachelor in Hospitality Management (BHM) Programme (Ahmad & Zainol, 2011; Zahari, Hanafiah, Othman, Jamaluddin & Zulkifly, 2010). Very few fresh graduates enter the hospitality industry and many of them decide not to pursue a full- time or long-term career in the industry (Zahari et al, 2010). This is caused by a number of industryspecific characteristics, such as low pay and formal qualifications, high proportion of low-skilled jobs, working a lot outside normal business hours, a negative industry image, poor utilization of student labour and a high level of employee turnover (Richardson & Butler, 2011). In Malaysia, little research has been published investigating tourism and hospitality graduates’ justification for not joining or leaving the industry especially those focusing on BHM graduates

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