Though few in the industry believe that the schools are capable of turning out graduates who can move right into a job, they are increasingly seeing the value of these programs: They weed out individuals who are looking for fun and glamour but who have little comprehension of what the real world of work will be like in the travel business; they demonstrate the commitment of the job candidate, which is important because an employer makes a substantial investment in new hires; they provide a foundation that makes the additional on-the-job training required much easier, particularly in geography and professional terms, and even better with regard to computer systems and how each of the various industry segments function together. The best programs are now being designed with input from industry professionals and include training on airline computer reservations systems, sales techniques, and industry ethics.
As yet, there are no industry-set standards (states bestow accreditation), though the American Society of Travel Agents has been seeking to impose standards and has formed an associate membership category for travel schools. Some programs are out- and-out rip-offs and offer little in the way of practical work experience. A rapidly increasing number, however, offer very solid programs and, perhaps even more importantly, more direct links to actual jobs through placement programs and industry alliances.
There has been a veritable explosion in travel schools and academic programs of two- and four-year colleges over the past decade, which in part is explained by the dramatic growth in the industry but more accurately can be attributed to the profits. Tuition ranges from under a hundred to several thousand dollars, with the greatest increase in schools on the higher-tuition side.
While only about 10 to 20 schools were dedicated to travel agency training a decade ago, the numbers have swelled to the hundreds. There are hundreds of schools that are affiliated with travel agencies and hundreds more at the college or university level.
Many of the travel-agency-affiliated schools are used as recruitment grounds for these agencies; they skim the "cream of the crop" off the top of the graduating classes. The schools are also becoming major profit centers for agencies. In some situations, the schools also are used as a source of free labor and new clients.
You must scrutinize the agency-affiliated as well as the academic programs. In the past, there was a fundamental difference in orientation. Colleges and universities emphasized generalist and had students think in terms of 'life careers" rather than specific job skills. "The philosophy of the university is to teach people how to become well-rounded human beings, not to channel them into narrow areas," said Dr. Steve Ilium, former assistant professor of travel and tourism at the Institute of Travel-Transportation-Tourism at Niagara University, New York. Academia also tended to emphasize "socially motivated" public recreation and government policy areas, shunning the "profit-motivated" commercial recreation sector (where most travel industry jobs fall).
Universities and colleges have become more sensitive to the issue of teaching skills that will lead to real jobs, and many of the programs have been revamped. Many curricula are actually based on the Institute of Certified Travel Agents' program or that of the National College, both of which are industry oriented.
You must be very discriminating when choosing a vocational school or college program. Though many suggest in their sales material that a degree is essential to getting a job or that it is in fact a ticket into a job, both suggestions are untrue.
You should be wary if a school does not try to discover your own motivations or expectations about the travel business. The best schools attempt to discourage people who have unrealistic expectations of salary, travel benefits, or work levels or who would simply be unsuited to a career in travel because they are not people oriented or detail oriented.
You should interview recent graduates about the quality of their education, its applicability to their work, and the effectiveness of their schools' placement offices. In considering a school, check the following:
- Faculty with industry experience.
- Curriculum that reflects current needs and functions of the industry-particularly, the quality and quantity of computer reservations training (real computers, not generic dummies).
- Opportunity for hands-on experience, such as agency simulation and internships.
- Background of the school-how long it has been in business, its relationship and reputation with the industry, whether it has any citations by the local Better Business Bureau.
- Placement assistance and career guidance availability (some placement offices are very active in the process and have strong industry contacts).
- Licensing from the state education department.
- Accreditation from appropriate agencies.
- Tuition that is neither too low nor too high.
- Recruitment, selection, grading procedures, attendance policies, and amount of hours devoted to each area.
A degree in a credible travel-tourism-transportation program is becoming more and more necessary in getting a first job. This is not to say that getting in is impossible without a degree, but having one just makes it a little easier. An educational background makes on-the-job training easier and faster and makes advancement possible more quickly. Starting salaries also tend to be higher for new hires that have a degree.
Several excellent directories to travel schools and academic programs are available:
Travel School Directory,
ASTA Scholarship Foundation,
1101 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314.
A Guide to College Programs in Hospitality and Tourism, Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education, published by John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY 10158.
National Tour Foundation listing of 700 schools offering tourism related programs (available for $10), 546 E. Main St., Lexington, KY 40508.
