Endless possibilities in hospitality industry
If you like working with people and being of service, a career in the hospitality sector could be the one for you.
"It's very much a people industry," says Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association president and CEO Dave Kaiser. "There are good opportunities for people who like working in a fast-paced people industry -- who are really driven to serve guests."
It's an industry that, for the past several years, has been crying for workers. Prior to the economic downturn, the labour shortage was "quite serious," Kaiser says. "Even today, there is a shortage of qualified and committed people to work in some of the frontline occupations."
These positions include housekeeping and food and beverage roles, as well as front-desk, back-of-the-house and kitchen-type roles.
Some regions of the province have been experiencing more difficulties finding staff than others, including resort communities such as Canmore, and towns such as Hinton and Edson, where many new hotels have been built in the past few years.
"It's been industry-wide," Kaiser says, noting that hotels have been relying on temporary foreign workers to fill many jobs.
Hotels have also seen some relief in the last 18 months as a result of the economic downturn. Still, finding and keeping good staff remains a challenge throughout the province.
Compensation varies widely, depending on the position. The general manager of a 91-to 180-room property, for example, earns an average annual salary of $81,000, plus there can be bonuses and incentives. Other roles include assistant general manager, plus positions in sales, accounting, human resources and information technology.
With many of these business functions, salaries are competitive with similar roles in other industries.
On the culinary side, there are a variety of opportunities in the kitchen, where people can work their way up to be food and beverage directors or executive chefs, says Kaiser.
And the money is good: in a 91-to 180-room establishment, for example, executive chefs can earn anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000 per year.
The food services industry employs a wide range of people, supplying jobs for everyone from entry-level workers who want the flexibility of part-time work, to those with their eye on a lifelong career.
"Whether you're with us for a year or a career, we offer a wide variety of opportunities," says Mark von Schellwitz, Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association vice-president for Western Canada.
"It's one of the few industries where you can literally start at the bottom and work your way up to being a restaurant owner or the executive of a food chain. It really is possible in our industry for a motivated employee to go from washing dishes in the kitchen, to cooking up deals in the boardroom."
In Canada, the food services industry is a $60-billion industry and one of the country's top employers, employing more than one million workers nationwide.
In Alberta, it is one of the top private sector job creators, creating approximately 27 jobs for every $1 million in restaurant sales.
The industry employs more than 52,000 Albertans under age 25, representing nearly one in five of all youth jobs in the province.
The food services industry is also a large employer of new Canadians. It is the fourth largest private sector employer in Alberta.
It not only gives many young people a start in the working world, it also teaches them a wide range of skills, says Gerard Curran, proprietor of the James Joyce Irish Pub and Restaurant in Calgary and chairman of the board for the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association.
Teamwork, time management, budgeting and interpersonal skills -- these are just some of the skills they learn, in addition to earning a wage to support themselves, he says.
Compensation varies widely, from entry level minimum wage jobs, to servers earning a wage plus gratuities, all the way to senior managers, career chefs, executives and entrepreneurs. Many CEOs in this industry began their careers in the kitchen, washing dishes, cooking, serving or bartending.
"If you are going into the industry, it's endless what you can achieve," says Curran, who started in the food services industry at the age of 12. "You find that most successful restaurateurs have already been in the industry for a long time and have come up through the ranks. It's a fun industry, it's rewarding -- and it's hard work."
Everyone goes through trying times, Curran notes -- everything from facing labour shortages, to government red tape.
"There are huge challenges, and huge rewards, too."
The food service industry brings jobs, investment and tourism to cities, towns and regions, adds von Schellwitz. "Restaurants are a focal point for people to gather."
"They are the face of the community, a place to go to with friends and family, and talk about social issues and politics. We are the community's gathering place."
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Careers In Hospitality The hospitality industry employs many types of workers. Alberta Learning Information Service describes many of these occupations on its website at www.alis. alberta.ca.Here is a small sample:
- Server: Food and beverage servers work in restaurants, coffee shops, bars, clubs, hotels and other retail eating and drinking establishments. Experienced food and beverage servers can move to better paying jobs in larger and more formal food establishments. They may advance to lead hand positions (for example, captain or head waiter/waitress, maitre d' hotel) or other supervisory positions. Although some organizations provide management training programs or training on the job, related post-secondary education and emerit certification are definite assets for advancement.
- Accommodation manager: Accommodation managers are responsible for operating their establishments efficiently and economically, satisfying guests and handling any problems that may arise. Unless they already have considerable work experience in the field, new graduates of hospitality education programs usually start in junior positions such as hotel desk clerk. A typical advancement path in a large hotel might be desk clerk, front office manager, rooms division manager, executive assistant manager and, finally, general manager.
- Chef: Chefs' duties and responsibilities vary between organizations, but, in general, they supervise cooks and other kitchen staff in the preparation, cooking and presentation of food, create new menus and recipes, order food and oversee quality control and sanitation standards. Almost all chefs have some technical qualification obtained through apprenticeship training or related post-secondary education. Experienced chefs may advance to sous chef and executive chef positions, or purchase and manage their own establishments.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald
BY JACQUELINE LOUIE, FOR THE CALGARY HERALD
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