What can you do with a hospitality, tourism and events management degree?

Subjects include hospitality management, international hospitality management, cruise management, tourism management and foundation options

Katherine Matthews BA (Hons) Events Management student during her placement year

Discover employment and further study opportunities that you could consider once you graduate with a hospitality, tourism and events management degree, and learn how you can stand out to graduate employers.

We encourage you to:

undertake career planning and research
build your networks, meet employees and graduates
gain essential work experience during your course
attend career fairs and events
continually develop your skills and knowledge
get involved with relevant clubs and societies
visit the Careers Service for advice.

Knowledge and skills

Your studies will provide a broad range of skills of value to employers, including:

written and verbal communication through report writing and presenting
teamwork and leadership skills through group projects
planning and project management through independent research tasks
collecting, analysing and evaluating evidence through seminar work and independent assignments
developing critical thinking and making ethical judgments
problem-solving and flexibility
time management through juggling different module assessment requirements and work-based learning alongside studies
an understanding of people management during work-based learning and assignments
delegation and negotiation skills
IT skills ranging from spreadsheets to databases, digital marketing to report writing
networking through peer work, discussions with academics and attending events
consumer awareness within the hospitality and tourism industries
acknowledging the social and economic factors that affect the sector.

Career options

15 months after graduating*

93% of our tourism and hospitality graduates are in work or further study

76% of our graduates said their current activity is meaningful

83% of graduates say their degree was a formal requirement for their job or gave them an advantage

Studying hospitality, tourism and events management at the University of Plymouth will reveal a wide range of career opportunities that are open to you. You could consider working within the hospitality industry in a variety of settings; restaurants, bars, hotels, public houses, music venues, airlines and conference centres. Your degree will help you to recognise service needs through numerous environments and these insights highlight the level of responsibility required. Restaurant manager, hotel executive, events planner and catering manager are some of the most obvious roles out there, and with a willingness to learn, it is not uncommon to see progression from supervisor to manager quite early in your career.

Tourism can offer up lots of interesting pathways due to its varying sub-industries related to travel. From tour management to tourist information services, passenger transport to heritage work, theme parks to national parks, you could find yourself working across the board of this diverse industry. Indeed, hospitality and tourism are global industries, so there is also an advantage in learning a second language, which could take you to many different countries and locations!

During your tourism and hospitality management degree, you will learn about the role of the consumer, guest relations, operation strategy and how service products are developed for these consumers. This could therefore mean considering other paths such as human resources (HR) and business, marketing and public relations, or a role within the teaching and education sector.

Since specific career paths may be less obvious it is important to use your research skills to explore the range of opportunities and to consider your personal interests, motivations, values and strengths.

Researching your career options

Given the diversity of career options open to graduates, it is important to research and explore these fully so that you can make informed decisions about your future. Keep an open mind and consider the wealth of skills you can offer.

The following websites provide helpful information on options with a hospitality and tourism degree:

Employment opportunities

Below is a snapshot of what some of University of Plymouth hospitality, tourism and events management graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation. For some graduates, these jobs serve as ‘stepping stones’ to professional posts by providing relevant workplace experience.

Hospitality

Careers in catering
Caterer
The Grocer
Valor Hospitality
Hospitality Jobs UK
Hilton Hotels Graduate Scheme
IHG Hotels and Resorts Graduate Scheme
Marriott Hotels Graduate Scheme
Mint

Events management

Professional bodies

Joining or following a professional body can be an effective way to find out about opportunities, news, and changes within the sector.

*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys covering the three years of 2019/20 – 2021/22. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.

Further study

Some of the careers chosen by tourism and hospitality management graduates will require or benefit from further study, so this should be considered carefully. The University of Plymouth offers the following postgraduate study options that could be of interest:

You should consider the financial implications of further study as well as selecting a programme that suits your interests, learning style and future career direction. The following websites are a good starting point for exploring postgraduate options, but you may also benefit from talking to a Careers Consultant about your individual situation.

It is also worth investigating what further study options the University has to offer as you may find the perfect course for yourself in an institution you already know. There are also sometimes financial benefits of staying on such as a fee discount to Alumni – find out your funding options .

Careers Service support

Accessing support from the Careers Service couldn’t be easier, come along to the Careers Service Helpdesk in the Student Hub or access 24/7 online resources .

There is a wide range of support available from skills workshops to events, placements and internships advice, 1-2-1 appointments and help getting started with LinkedIn.

Our bite-sized Skills Workshops can give your career the boost it needs. Choose from a range of topics:

effective career planning
job hunting techniques
finding part-time work
CVs and interviews
mastering LinkedIn
and more.

Workshops are delivered by the Careers Service; however, they are also an opportunity to learn from your peers, share experiences and ask questions. Visit myCareer to see the full range of activities and to book your place.

Connect with graduates

Build your network and job sector knowledge using LinkedIn's alumni tool. This will allow you to see the career journeys of graduates from your programme, the qualifications they completed, the skills they developed and employers they worked for. You can then ‘connect’ with people of interest:

search LinkedIn for ‘University of Plymouth’
select ‘Alumni’
filter the results by subject, sector, company or location.

For more information about the alumni tool select the LinkedIn alumni tool guide. If you are looking for help to set up or learn how to make the most of your LinkedIn profile, select the LinkedIn guide for students or come to one of our workshops .

Other advice and guidance

Gaining work experience

Undertaking work experience in your first and second years will help you stand out from the crowd when the time comes for you to complete applications for graduate employment and further study. Work experience develops valuable skills and qualities that employers are looking for and is essential for many roles. It can also help you to confirm or rule out particular career choices. Furthermore, experience in the workplace can bring you into contact with people who may be able to assist you at the beginning of your career.

You have plenty of options open to you. You could apply for a placement year, work part-time around your studies, undertake volunteering or approach organisations directly to negotiate short periods of work experience. Some organisations offer paid internships over the summer or of one year’s duration.

The University of Plymouth Students’ Union offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities.

Clubs and societies

Engaging in a sport or society shows employers you are engaged and seek out opportunities, it also helps you improve your teamwork, communication and negotiation skills. Committee members can develop leadership, diplomacy and organisational skills and will gain experience of meetings, handling funds, and society promotion.

You may choose to join a society that is specifically linked to your studies or take the opportunity to explore the huge range of clubs, societies and sports, all of which can help you to broaden your horizons and explore new interests.

Tutor and academic support

Your tutor and other academic staff are an excellent source of support for your career development. They will have experience and contacts across industry and academia, so do approach them for advice and insights into careers you are considering. Your tutor will ultimately be writing references for your employment or further study applications, therefore establishing a positive relationship with this person is invaluable.