More Hospitality Courses are Available in BC, Including Tourism and Restaurant Management

Tourism and Hospitality is one of the largest industries in Canada. It encompasses four unique sectors – Accommodation, Food and Beverage, Recreation and Entertainment, and Transportation and Travel Services. In British Columbia, it is a significant economic driver, generating about $22 billion in annual revenue, is the single largest contributor to the provincial GDP, and employs approximately 335,000 workers.

The Food and Beverage sector is the largest employer within BC's Hospitality Industry, accounting for about 45 per cent of the industry's overall workforce. It represents the largest group of younger people, over half under 35, and an approximate 50/50 split between males and females.

With its diverse range of unique job opportunities and flexible work schedules, the tourism and hospitality industry has long been an attractive and welcoming workplace for students and others seeking temporary or part-time work. While many of these workers may choose to move on to careers in other sectors, there is an abundance of rewarding advancement opportunities available to those seeking a full-time career in the hospitality sector and a number of interesting career pathways to consider.

While Red Seal Certification is available and nationally recognized, it is not compulsory for employment in BC's Tourism and Hospitality industry. However, some employers may ask for it, especially when considering candidates for higher-level positions such as cooking, management, hair stylists and certain film industry jobs. For those not interested in entering the Red Seal career pathway, there is another option worth considering.

TradeUpBC is a web portal that provides easy access to a range of short courses, certificates, and professional development programs offered by BC's post-secondary institutes. Specially designed and curated for the Tourism and Hospitality industry, the content allows workers to customize and build their own unique pathways to advance their careers, and employers to ensure their staff keep up with the rapid pace of workplace changes.

The courses and programs provide a variety of flexible learning options: hybrid, in-person, and online. They also cover many important areas of interest, including Changes in Technology, Climate change, Leadership, Business Skills, Inclusive Workplaces, Educators' Training, and Healthy and Safe Workplaces.

Current tourism and hospitality courses and programs being featured by TradeUpBC include Restaurant Operations, Leading Edge Hospitality, Tourism and Hospitality Entrepreneurship, Tourism Management, and more. You'll also find an abundance of courses related to communication, management, service, leadership, safety, and finance that apply to any industry and can help anyone looking to unlock new career opportunities.

Visit TradeUpBC to view the range of interesting courses currently available for Tourism and Hospitality trades professionals.