Are you a baker in the making? Do you want to work in a hotel, pub or restaurant? People in the hospitality and catering sector are all around you!

Last time you went to a hotel, pub, café or restaurant, someone had to take your booking, clean, make the bed and change the towels in your room, set your table for dinner, take your order, prepare and cook your food, serve your drinks, prepare your bill and take your money, clear the table and wash up after you…you get the picture! All these jobs are in the hospitality and catering sector and they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the number of roles that exist in the world of hospitality and catering.

But there’s more to a career in this industry than working in hotels and restaurants – think of all the outdoor events and fairs, privately catered parties and balls, weddings and funerals and birthdays and christenings you may have been to, possibly in tourist attractions like castles or country houses… The ever-growing and thriving hospitality and catering industry offers an incredibly diverse range of career opportunities for young people, both behind the scenes and front of house and if you have a desire to travel, getting into this sector is a great way to see the world, working on cruise ships, railways and airlines.

If you’re someone who really enjoys working with, and meeting new people all the time, if you have great customer service skills and the ability to keep a smile on your face, even when things – or guests! – get tough, a career in the hospitality and catering industry is well worth considering. There are lots of ways to start off your career in the hospitality and catering industry – after taking your GCSEs, you can get a job or go to FE college to gain vocational qualifications in subjects like catering and travel and tourism. You could do an apprenticeship or a traineeship or choose to study further by going to university to do a degree in hospitality management, for instance.