Employability and hospitality curriculum design when

there are limited resources for learning

Mary Quek

m.j.quek@herts.ac.uk

In collaboration with Mr David Jones and

Mr Leigh Bradford at FoodHertfordshire, UH

Presentation structure

• How it begins …• Process and content of design• Project outcome • Managers’ and students’

learning• The next step

How this project started … Employability concern

Table 1: PG tourism students, 2007 - 2010

Registered Full Time students

No prior work

experience

Full Time job (FTJ)Self Employed (SE)Studying/ repeating (S)Unknown (UnK)

2007/8 8 5 (63%) 5 FTJ (63%), 1SE, 2 UnK

2008/9 14 7 (50%) 8FTJ (57%), 1S, 5 UnK

2009/10 18 9 (50%) 6FTJ (33%), 1SE, 4S, 7UnK

2010/11 20 13 (65%) NA

Collaboration with FoodHertfordshire

Matchmaker: Veronica Earle

David Jones, General Manager of FoodHertfordhsire

Leigh Bradford, Manager of de Hav Restaurant, FoodHertfordhsire

Process: step 1

Provided David with a Module Guide in December 2010:• Learning outcomes (module)• Weekly programme (included proposed

dates for David’s presentation and briefing to students)

• Assessment 30% (Group), 20% (Reflective essay), 50% (Report)

• Assignment deadline

Process: step 2• David provided four cases for

students to select from, inserted into Module Guide.

• Sent Module guide to External Examiner for approval

• Approved and live projects confirmed three weeks before teaching starts.

ContentsCase 1: Promoting sales in restaurant by running a themed menu promotion

Objective – Increase customer patronage and improve average spend

Case 2: Promoting sales in the de Havilland cafe study, by using meal deals

Objective – Increase overall profitability by increasing overall spend

Case 3: Promoting Glaceau Vitamin WaterObjective – beat Forum Sales Mix

Case 4: Promoting sales of Powerade in the de Havilland restaurant

Objective – Increase sales and improve profitability

First meeting and briefing in Teaching week 2

Meet the managers after each launch

After the first launch:• Students submit an

analysis of customer feedback the day before meeting

• Managers provide sales figures and other comparative figures

• Students propose changes for the second launch

Case: Theme Days at De Hav.

Chinese theme

Italian theme

Mexican themeAmerican theme

Italian and American Theme Day• 1st Launch – 926 customers £3.11 as per head• 2nd Launch – 899 customers £2.93 asph

Equivalent dates in 2010• 1st Launch 756 customers £3.02 asph• 2nd Launch 677 customers £2.81 asph

Objective Achieved:

Increase customer patronage

and improve average spend

Case: Meal plans at LRC de Hav.

Value meal £1.99

Morning prep

Healthy meal £2.99Morning prep

Meal Deal at LRC de Havilland• 1st Launch – 6,604 customers £13,000 • 2nd Launch – 6,170 customers £12,625

Equivalent dates in 2010• 1st Launch 5,798 customers £10,354 • 2nd Launch 5,561 customers £10,109

Objective Achieved

Increase overall profitability

by increasing overall spend

Case: New drink launch at de Hav

First launchSecond launch

Drink launch – Glaceau Vitamin Water

First Launch – • de Hav 8% sales mix (not sold before)• Forum 8% sales mix

Second Launch – • de Hav 11% sales mix; • Forum 7% sales mix

Objective Achieved:

Beat Forum Sales Mix

Case: Powerade promotion at de Hav.

First launchSecond launch

Drink promotion - Powerade• 1st Launch – 169 customers £169 • 2nd Launch – 140 customers £158.20

Equivalent dates in 2010• 1st Launch 35 customers £49 • 2nd Launch 7 customers £9.80

Objective Achieved:

Increase sales and

improve profitability

Changes made after first launch

• Marketing strategies (distribution channels, products, pricing)

Derived from Questionnaires:• Distribution channels, • Customers’ satisfaction with product and

price, • Customer feedback that inform future

(long term) strategy

Project outcomes

Managers’ learning

Promotion works!• Planning to employ someone over the

summer to put together monthly promotions for the next year.

• Pick up suggestion from students to promote drinks – Red Bull – at the price : 2 for £2.00 during the examination period.

Students’ learning

Reflective essays:• ‘Learn more than in the classroom’• ‘more confident at approaching people to

conduct survey – useful preparation for dissertation field work’.

• ‘learn about punctuality – time management’.

• ‘understand that it is hard work in the hospitality industry – irregular hours’.

The next step …A full optional module will be run from next academic year.

• What can I do to allocate 2 x 30% group work, constrained by a 30% max. group work element?

Thank you all for your support!