Despite its global reputation, the Swiss hospitality industry has been finding it hard to attract staff, particularly young people. In 2011, 731 young people started an apprenticeship in the industry, but by 2020 this number had fallen 40% to 429, according to SRF.
Figures published at the end of May by the Federal Statistical Office showed staff shortages were a problem across the country and sectors, with more than 100,000 jobs listed as vacant in the first quarter of 2022, staff shortages reaching record levels and the hospitality sector “suffering badly”. Swissinfo reported that part of the problem was the difference between the number of people retiring and new people joining the workforce.
However, Swiss hospitality schools have expressed confidence in the pipeline of talent coming through to fill these gaps, reporting increases in numbers of students this year following a pandemic dip, and a noticeable increase in career changers looking to move into the sector.
Growing numbers
Francine Cuagnier, head of marketing at Glion Institute of Higher Education, said the school saw double-digit growth across both its Bachelor and Master programmes from 2020 to 2021. Glion has three campuses: two in Switzerland, Glion campus above Montreux and Bulle campus in Gruyère, as well as a campus in the grounds of London’s University of Roehampton in the UK.
Glion, part of the Sommet Education group, launched three specialised Master’s in 2019, including in luxury management and guest experience, which is where it is seeing the largest traction; as well as finance and hotel development, which is delivered in its London campus. Cuagnier said next year’s intake was seeing “huge traction”, with very high levels of interest from students in hotel development.
The institution has advisory boards of industry experts to ensure the curriculum evolves to fit the needs of the modern hospitality environment, as well as visiting faculty members.
“We are very close to what’s happening in the industry – we teach students what is real, it’s not books from 20 years ago,” said Cuagnier. “We do our best to remain relevant, the industry is moving very quickly.”
Hotel groups like Accor and Marriott International not only visit the school but are building student ambassador programmes, recruiting ambassadors within the student body.
“They are very active in contacting us to find opportunities to attract our students,” said Cuagnier.
Accor’s Fairmont Le Montreux Palace even has a branded classroom at the institute. Louise Philion, director of talent and culture at the 236-bedroom property, said the visits focus on what the hotel and wider group can offer across three strands: internships, Accor’s Inspire management training programme, and direct placement opportunities.
“We also often have students from these school come and visit the hotel, especially first year students. During which we do a whole tour of the hotel, and then we also talk about the various working opportunities within the hotel,” said Philion.
Of the students that study hospitality at Glion, approximately half remain in the sector, with the other half moving into areas such as luxury retail or finance.
Different industries
Apparently, students are also increasingly moving into the hospitality sector from other industries. 61% of students from Northern Europe on Glion’s Master programmes 2020-22 had a Bachelor’s degree not related to hospitality, with a variety of backgrounds from biological engineering to marketing.
The figures are similar at École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), with approximately half of alumni remaining in the restaurant and hotel business, while others have moved into sectors such as real estate, insurance, banking, consulting and luxury. EHL saw an increase of 320 students to more than 3,720 across its programmes between 2019 and 2020. Between 2020 and 2022 the numbers of new students have stabilised.
A spokesperson for the school suggested that the uncertainty of the pandemic meant people were seeking security, namely by investing in education. Switzerland remains among the top nationalities of students represented at school and the top five countries in which alumni are present. 16% of Glion’s MSc students did a placement in Switzerland last year.
Elsewhere in Europe, Westminster Kingsway College in London had been seeing a drop in applicants for hospitality and culinary arts courses, from 1,022 in the 2018/19 academic year, to 780 in 2019/20 and 750 in 2020/21. However, this returned to 849 for 2021/22 and the college has so far received 668 applications for next year, compared to 490 at the same point last year, and believed numbers were recovering quickly.
In France, Sommet’s École Ducasse has also seen a growing interest in courses from career changers from industries including finance, architecture, HR, and even a former pilot.
“We heard some people during Covid stopped being chefs because they wanted to try something else, but we also see many profiles coming from other industries that want a job with passion,” said Elise Masurel, managing director at École Ducasse.
“Before, many of them have done management, had teams, they know how to work a P&L, so they also bring those competencies to the industry.”
She said the younger students often looked to enter Michelin-starred restaurants on completing their courses but were increasingly looking for employers that value sustainability and care for their employees. Glion’s Cuagnier agreed that students were more demanding than ever of what they expect from employers. Many of the career changers at École Ducasse, meanwhile, want to pursue their own projects and open their own restaurants.
École Ducasse has seen growth of close to 100% in the last year across its programmes and two campuses in France, and to meet demand is extending its facilities to increase its capacity by a third.
“That’s very good news for the industry,” said Masurel, “we are going to fill the industry with all those new profiles who are arriving from all over the world.”