Pazilaiti Abulikemu, Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, Kandappan Balasubramanian

Abstract: In light of the hospitality and tourism (HT) industry gowing rapidly globally, the number of HT courses continues to grow as well to satisfy the demand for a competent workforce. However, the quality of HT education is not in sync with the HT industry due to the rapid and varied changes in the work world, which requires the educational setting to adapt accordingly. The main objectives of this study are to assess HT graduates’ work readiness as well as determine the criteria for higher employability in this sector. Using semistructured interviews, data was collected from 24 participants (17 industry practitioners and seven lecturers collectively) in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The main takeaway of the study is the contrasting viewpoints of industry practitioners and academics regarding the work readiness of HT graduates. Findings also indicate that two components are relevant in achieving higher employability for the future HT industry, namely soft skills and behavioural attributes.

Keywords: Hospitality and tourism, hospitality and tourism education, graduate work readiness, higher employability