As the tourism and hospitality industry in the UK continues to face devasting losses from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and recruitment shortages from Brexit, the need to innovate and adapt is paramount to its future success andsustainability. Recognition of education and relevant qualifications is one such tool the industry can harness in order to become more resilient, relying on professionals who have the knowledge and expertise to drive the industry forward. This research therefore aims to highlight the current situation in regard to the skills and requirements UK hotel employers are seeking and how education is perceived and prioritised at present within the industry.
A content analysis of 112 online job advertisements (ads) for a variety of hotel positions in the UK was conducted in order to fulfil the research aim. The data collected was then analysed manually by coding and categorisation of themes using a phronetic iterative approach. The findings of the research show that education is prioritised less than previous profession related experience. It also highlighted that soft skills were more frequently mentioned than hard skills suggesting their overall importance in comparison. These findings are in line with the current literature regarding the wider hospitality industry and offer a contribution in terms of highlighting the issue of education and by providing employers and educational institutions a basis from which to inform their current practices.