Hospitality roles slow to fill despite the industry comeback
National Skills Week’s Chairman Brian Wexham says hospitality employment opportunities have been slow to fill so far this year despite Australian border restrictions being loosened and the industry recovering.
Mr Wexham said: “The hospitality industry is incredibly diverse and Australian consumers have embraced the growing ‘foodie’ culture, with our tastes around food, drink, accommodation and experiences becoming more sophisticated. Key occupations include café and restaurant managers, retail managers, bar attendants and baristas, café workers, waiters, sales assistants, receptionists, and Hotel and Motel Managers.
“All hospitality-related occupations are projected to show growth to 2025, with the strongest growth expected to be sales assistants (25 percent), waiters (18 per cent) and chefs (16 per cent)” (Source: Employment trends, Australian Industry and Skills Committee, 2022).
SkillsIQ Chief Executive Officer, Yasmin King says: “The great opportunity from working in the Hospitality sector is that you are working in an international industry – there is no limit to where you can work in the world.
“Having worked in the sector you are able to demonstrate the most sought-after employability skills in any job, including communication, customer service, problem-solving and working as part of a team. The industry is coming to the realisation that it has to “grow its own” workforce, so there has never been a better opportunity for young people to embrace the opportunity to work in the sector, access formal training and gain skills that will set them up for life regardless of what pathway they take.”