Let’s talk about big career dreams for a moment. Perhaps you want to one day run multiple restaurant chains. Or maybe you see yourself spearheading events at a prestigious hotel.
Do you really need to go back to school to launch a hospitality career? After all, can’t you just work your way up the ranks on the job?
Not so fast. Here are several reasons why getting a hospitality degree is worth it.
You May Secure Higher-Quality Hospitality Jobs Faster
When you’re applying for a position as a restaurant manager or another hospitality role, a hospitality degree can speak volumes. While many applicants may not have a degree in the field, listing yours on your resume can give you the opportunity to stand out from the crowd.
Depending on your hospitality niche, entry-level jobs might focus more on customer service, technical support, and paperwork. Although hospitality graduates might find a starting point here, they usually find themselves more prepared to tackle their first industry jobs—rising in the ranks at a more accelerated speed.
Plus, when employers find quick learners who cut down on their training time, they’re usually more likely to promote these individuals quicker—often leading to higher salaries and bonuses.
“A strong educational background can help someone with limited experience become a valued contributor to their employer. They can utilize the skills taught at Escoffier to work their way into a management position.”*
Maria Davenport, Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management Instructor
“A strong educational background can help someone with limited experience become a valued contributor to their employer. They can utilize the skills taught at Escoffier to work their way into a management position.”*You Can Graduate With a Competitive Hospitality Skill Set
When Escoffier students graduate with a hospitality degree, they can be fully equipped with a whole host of broad skills and techniques that are transferable across multiple hospitality niches–including restaurants, hotels, airlines, cruises, hospital or school catering, food distribution, human resources, and more.
Some of the Escoffier curriculum topics may include:
- Business and Professional Communications
- Menu Design and Management
- The Science of Nutrition
- Catering and Events Operations
- Introduction to Psychology in the Workplace
- FoodService Math and Accounting
- Cost Control and Purchasing
By the end of the 60-week online Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management program, Escoffier graduates can feel confident in choosing the best hospitality niche for them and dive into their career.
You Can Get Your Education Online… While Keeping Your Day Job
So you have a burning desire to become a hospitality mogul…but perhaps you still need to keep your 9-5 job to pay the bills or stay home with the kids. No matter what your circumstances are, it’s completely possible to graduate with a hospitality degree!
At Escoffier, the hospitality degree program is 100% online with an in-person industry externship, which means you can graduate practically from your living room. With a healthy dose of motivation and a functioning laptop, you can start pursuing the goal of getting your hospitality degree. If your super busy schedule presents challenges with attending live sessions, the recordings are conveniently available for later viewing, too.
Needless to say, this hospitality management degree online can offer a ton of flexibility, allowing you to practice the skills needed to start honing your marketability as a hospitality professional…in just 15 months!
You Can Meet Like-Minded Peers and Build a Valuable Network
You truly can’t put a price tag on an education that offers multiple opportunities to network. At Escoffier, students enrolled in the Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management degree program can attend live lectures with professional Chef Instructors who are hospitality experts themselves, offering hands-on mentorship and advice. Many of these instructors come to the table with expansive knowledge and industry connections, which can help support students to navigate big career decisions.
Jason Goldman, Escoffier Lead Chef Instructor, Pastry Arts and Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management
“What we have is a unique blend of instructors in this field. We have a lot of instructors who teach these classes who are experienced in back of house and front of house restaurant operations. We also have some instructors who don’t have any experience in the kitchen, but have an enormous amount of education and professional experience in places like a foodservice accounting or technical writing for the hospitality industry. And so we have a really nice blend.”*Not only can Escoffier students build solid relationships with their instructors, but they can also form tight connections with fellow peers in the program. And who knows? This can develop into lifelong friendships and even potential business partnerships.
You Can Gain Invaluable Hands-On Experience
To wrap up the hospitality curriculum and graduate from Escoffier, students complete a 160-hour, six-week industry externship, which is a prime opportunity to work alongside seasoned hospitality professionals. This component can truly enable students to enjoy the exploratory phase of their education, helping them refine and experiment with a certain hospitality niche!
Externships may be paid or unpaid, but regardless, this can be an invaluable opportunity to connect with industry experts and potentially line up future job opportunities that may not be available otherwise.
A Hospitality Degree Might Be More Affordable Than You Think**
Graduating with a hospitality degree might not get you a fast pass to a hotel manager position, but it certainly can help communicate to future employers that you share a strong commitment to the craft of hospitality. This may make you a more attractive candidate for higher-paying positions. So when you think about the costs of your education to reach your hospitality career goals, chances are, you may wind up seeing the return on your investment not too far down the road.
At Escoffier, our goal is to make education both affordable and accessible. An online associate degree in Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management from Escoffier costs $31,255. Plus, many Escoffier students can also leverage financial resources by utilizing loans, scholarships, and/or grants if they apply and qualify. So no matter what your current financial situation looks like, there can be a feasible way to start your online hospitality degree program.
Jason Goldman, Escoffier Lead Chef Instructor, Pastry Arts and Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management
Don’t Wait to Turn Your Hospitality Dreams Into Reality!
When it comes to the pros and cons of pursuing a hospitality degree, it’s difficult to find any glaring negatives. The hospitality industry is booming with many job opportunities and hiring managers are looking for skilled workers so that they don’t have to spend a ton of time and resources on training.
If you’ve been on the fence, don’t wait any longer. To find out more about the Hospitality & Restaurant Operations Management curriculum at Escoffier, contact our Admissions Department today.
To discover more about the world of hospitality, try these articles next:
- What Skills do you Need for a Career in Hospitality and Tourism?
- Is Hospitality Management a Good Career Choice for You?
- How to Get a Job in the Hospitality Industry
*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.
**Consider your situation and resources to determine what is affordable and on budget, for you.
