Building the Next Generation of Hospitality Talent

The future of hospitality depends on the industry’s ability to attract, prepare and retain the next generation of talent. But as workforce expectations evolve and hospitality organizations compete for new skills, are industry and higher education preparing emerging professionals for where the business is headed?

Join HSMAI DC for a 60-minute conversation exploring how hospitality leaders and higher education can work together to build stronger pathways into the industry and better prepare the next generation for long-term careers.

Panelists will examine the expectations shaping today’s emerging workforce, the skills hospitality organizations increasingly need, and practical opportunities to strengthen the connection between education and employment.

What We'll Explore 

Closing the Gap Between Education and Industry
Explore the challenges affecting hospitality recruitment and retention, from enrollment and hiring pressures to changing perceptions of hospitality careers and evolving expectations around flexibility, culture, purpose, compensation and career growth.

Preparing Talent for the Future of Hospitality
Consider the skills tomorrow’s hospitality professionals will need, including sales, revenue management, digital marketing, data analytics, artificial intelligence, communication, leadership and business acumen.

Creating Stronger Career Pathways
Examine opportunities to expose students earlier to the breadth of hospitality careers — including operations, sales, marketing, revenue, events, human resources, technology, tourism, real estate, development, consulting and analytics.

Turning Partnership Into Action
Hear practical ideas for strengthening collaboration between employers and educators through experiential learning, internships, mentoring, career coaching, earlier recruitment and clearer career progression.