Why Hospitality is More Than Just a Casual University Job

Hospitality work is often seen as the job that gets you through uni – the job you have before you get a ‘real’ job. But hospitality and hospitality courses can can offer so much more than that. It’s a career that can last you your whole life, taking you through various industries and countries along the way.

To work in hospitality New Zealand, you don’t necessarily have to have completed a qualification, but some sort of formal recognition of your skills is always highly valued by employers. There are a huge range of hospitality courses in New Zealand available, including a Certificate in Hospitality and Frontline Management, Cookery courses and Food Safety Courses. Many of these can also be learnt via hospitality courses online.

However, the hospitality sector is one of the few that values experience over all else – if you’ve worked as a bar staff for years at a local pub in Wellington, it’s going to be more valued than a barista’s course with no experience. Of course ideally, you’d have both! That said, if you’re serving alcohol you’ll need to gain your Licence Controller Qualification (LCQ) which a number of courses include. Make sure to check out our page on hospitality courses here:

The fact is, everyday hospitality jobs go far beyond that of a waitress or bartender. New Zealand Tourism is taking off in a big way, and has recently become New Zealand’s biggest export earner.

Tourism jobs include travel agents and customer service officials, but also those working individually or for small companies for the tourist industry, such as bed and breakfast owners, boat tour operators and hotel staff. Working in tourism is a fantastic way to show off the beauty of New Zealand – whether you want to be based in Christchurch, Waikato, Canterbury or Queenstown, New Zealand Hospitality and tourism can let you display all that the country has to offer (which is more than just the stunning sites displayed in Lord of The Rings).

Meanwhile, as the Wellington Hospitality Group, Restaurant Association NZ or Hospitality Union will tell you, standard jobs in the hospitality sector can also lead to rewarding careers. For example, someone who started as a waitress at a local cafe can, in the course of her career, become Customer Services Manager at an international hotel, and a chef who started as a dish hand at a restaurant in Auckland can work throughout the world in the hospitality industry and end up a celebrity chef based in Australia.

Hospitality management is a crucial part of the industry, with managers teaching new staff, running the everyday business of workplaces, looking out for health and safety problems, and taking on the responsibility of a company’s customer service. A restaurant manager may have no official qualification, but time spent at various workplaces over the years makes them the most valued part of any team.

All of that said, hospitality is still one of the most popular choices for a job during university, and for good reasons. International students on a student visa can learn the language and customs quickly and in a fun environment, and the team work required looks great on any resume, as well as the hard work! Immigration New Zealand recognises the contribution that international students make to the country, and so students often work in hospitality during their time in New Zealand.

But if you find that you have a talent for the industry, you may have the opportunity to forgo the job search – stay in hospitality for a while longer, and see if it’s something that you think you could make a career in! Make sure to check out our page on studying in New Zealand, so that you have the most information possible about why living and working in this incredible country could give you an experience like no other.

If you’re a domestic student, the same concept applies. Hospitality is one of the best ways to get experience working in a challenging, fast paced environment, and also gives you the chance to travel the world when you’re not studying, but still earn a living. If you’re a student with experience in hospitality, on holidays you could work in China, Singapore, the United States (USA), Canada, and many other countries – all you need is a determined mindset and a passion for travel and hospo work!

The fact is, hospitality is so much more than a casual job to help you cope with the cost of living during your high school or university days.

It can turn into a long term, rewarding career, both financially and emotionally, as everyday you look after other people and make sure that their experiences are positive ones that make their lives better.