An Explanatory Study of the Perception of the Importance of Soft Skills Development in Higher Education by Hospitality Students.

Abstract

The development of Soft skills (generic skills) and Hard skills (academic skills) of students in hospitality through Higher Education (HE) is acknowledged to be both important in HE through research. Identifying specific soft skills of importance for a specific course can greatly help with curriculum development for the course. Research shows that Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) acknowledge the importance of soft skills development in students through the curriculum. In this paper students are asked about their knowledge of the importance of soft skills development in HE and to identify soft skills that they perceive as important for their future employment in hospitality.