Cross-industry career mobility of hospitality and tourism graduates: Motivations and transferrable skills

Abstract

Career mobility is common among hospitality and tourism graduates, often moving from one industry to another (cross-industry career mobility). The current study aims to investigate motivations for cross-industry career mobility. Moreover, this study identifies transferrable skills and sources of such skills from college and work experiences. Although previous studies have advanced our understanding of why hospitality and tourism graduates leave the industry, there is limited research on transferrable skills for cross-industry career mobility. The current study addresses this knowledge gap. The authors gathered qualitative data via 28 in-depth semi-structured interviews from hospitality and tourism graduates working in other industries, such as consulting, information technology, and finance. The current study advances understanding of why and how hospitality and tourism graduates move to other industries by drawing on the career mobility theory and the effort-reward imbalance model. Mentorship programs that connect alumni working in other industries and flexible internship arrangements to include various industries are recommended, given an increasing number of graduates going to other fields.