50 percent. That’s the youth unemployment rate in South Africa, the newest member of the BRICS group of developing economies. A program created by Hilton Worldwide and the International Youth Foundation aims to address the growing youth unemployment problem. Started in February, the Youth in Hospitality initiative seeks to empower young people around the world with training and lasting careers in the industry. With over 7 million 18 to 24 year olds out of work, the program’s launch in South Africa could be a landmark victory in the battle against youth unemployment.

The travel and tourism industry is plagued with misconceptions. High school graduates often associate careers in hospitality with uncertain pay, long hours, and poor conditions. The new program hopes to dispel these notions and provide students with a better understanding of the hospitality industry. As part of the Youth in Hospitality initiative, the Hilton recently held expos at three of its South African hotels to show students, parents, and teachers what a day in the life of Hilton employees is like. Youth in Hospitality will also provide valuable job shadowing programs, internships and on-the-job training tailored specifically to a younger generation of hospitality workers. Ultimately, Hilton wants to provide South African youths with long-lasting, sustainable careers.

The numbers paint a rosy picture of the hotel sector; the IYF predicts that it will grow by more than 45 percent and the industry as a whole will create 73 million jobs. Hilton Worldwide’s Vice-President of Operations for Africa and the Indian Ocean Jan van der Putten estimates that around 23,000 new hotel staff will be needed over the next four years to accommodate dozens of new hotel openings across Africa and the Middle East. Tackling the youth unemployment problem in South Africa is a daunting task, one that will likely take years to resolve. But for millions of unemployed South African graduates, Youth in Hospitality marks the beginning of a brighter future.

 Source: BDlive

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Interested in the hospitality industry? Consider a career at Hilton Worldwide.

Working in hospitality often requires fluency in at least two languages. Baruch offers several language minors, from Chinese to Italian.

The Zicklin School of Business offers an International Business degree for both undergraduates and graduates