Information and communications technology skill requirements for hospitality students

Abstract

The Pacific International Hotel Management School (PIHMS) is a hospitality school that is located in New Plymouth, New Zealand and it offers a PIHMS Certificate in English, Diploma in Hotel Management, a Degree in Hospitality and a Post Graduate Diploma in Hotel Management. The Hospitality industry is very much like the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry as both are dynamic and growing fast (Watkins, 2005; O’Brien, 2002).

This report records the findings of an investigation into ICT skills that are required by PIHMS Diploma graduates to help give them a competitive edge when they apply for positions in hotels. In addition it recommends how PIHMS could teach any extra skills required by the hospitality industry.

The research used a mixed methods approach involving questionnaires, focus groups and interviews. The participants were interested parties that either have PIHMS graduates or students working for them or are lecturers at the school. There was also a comparison done of the PIHMS computing paper and a New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) computing paper that is offered in the New Zealand Diploma of Business (Level Six) throughout New Zealand in polytechnics and other tertiary institutions.