Less than one in five parents have a positive view of a career in foodservice and hospitality for their children, a new study has found.
Results from the latest Best Western Careers Index showed that just 17% of parents view a career based in a hotel or restaurant in a positive light, although the figure rose by 4% in relation to management roles in hospitality.
Around one-third of parents (31%) said they’d actively discourage their child from pursuing a career in hospitality. Poor pay was cited as the main reason by 61% of respondents while 52% of parents highlighted long hours as another disincentive.
“Despite the popularity of TV shows focused on the hospitality sector, such as Amazing Hotels, Life Beyond the Lobby, and Great British Menu, as an industry we are still struggling to fill positions and for the second year running our survey shows parents still don’t see hospitality is a first-choice career,” said Best Western Great Britain’s Managing director, Les Asplen.
Hospitality wasn’t the only food-related career that fared poorly – just 11% of parents had a positive view of working in the farming sector.
Medicine topped the list of favoured careers for the second year running with 48% of parents indicating they would be happy to see their child become a doctor.
