VCC Hospitality Management programs prepare students for the return of tourism
Originally published in The Georgia Straight
With Vancouver being a popular destination for international and local travel, hospitality is one of the most important and lucrative industries in our city. Even though the pandemic has put travel on pause, there will be a pent-up demand in tourism and hospitality in the near future. The industry is extremely resilient.
For those with dreams of working at a hotel or resort, or managing a restaurant, right now is the time to invest in your education. By registering for one of the online Hospitality Management programs at Vancouver Community College (VCC), you’ll be ready to start your career in either two or four years.
Prospective students can enroll in VCC's two-year diploma program or opt to take the full four-year bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management. Since both programs are web-based, students can gain the diploma or degree at a speed that is conducive to their schedules and learning styles.
Even though the majority of the course is completed online, a portion of the program requires students to attend unique in-person learning opportunities. “For example, we give our students some restaurant experience in both the kitchen and front of house,” says Dennis Innes, dean of Hospitality, Food Studies, and Applied Business at VCC. “This way they gain an understanding of what goes into food preparation and cooking but also learn how to run the restaurant.”
Within both the diploma and degree program, students will also learn about service management, marketing, organizational behaviour, sales, accounting, communications, law, and more. “Students can expect to cultivate many transferable skills, like problem solving, empathy, critical thinking, and customer service,” says Innes. “Having a good understanding of customer service will help you in any job position.”
VCC’s diploma program provides students with a well-rounded introduction to the industry whereas the degree allows students to dive deeper into the areas that they enjoy most. “Hospitality and tourism will come back and be a vibrant industry once again,” says Innes. “Our programs teach students a fulsome range of skills so that they can successfully enter the industry once it bounces back.”
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