What do you learn at hotel school?
A hotel school education prepares you for a versatile career in the hospitality industry. You learn much more than setting tables or cooking. The curriculum includes everything from business management and marketing to languages and leadership skills. Below you can read how theory and practice go hand in hand at hotel school, which subjects you take, and how this education boosts both your personal development and career prospects.
Theory and practice go hand in hand
At hotel school, “learning by doing” is central. This means that in addition to theoretical lessons, you gain plenty of practical experience. Many hotel schools have a simulation hotel or training facilities where students rotate through different departments. In your first year, for example, you might already work in the kitchen, restaurant, housekeeping or at the reception to gain real hospitality experience. You also often work in groups on projects, such as organising events or running a simulated hotel, to apply the theory directly. Thanks to this combination of theory and practice, you are well prepared for the realities of the hotel industry.
A wide range of hospitality subjects
Hotel schools offer a broad range of subjects. You take both general business courses and specific hospitality subjects, such as:
Business administration and management: subjects like marketing, financial management, business economics and HR management teach you how to analyse and lead an organisation.
Hotel craftsmanship: you take courses in food and beverage management, menu design, wine knowledge and kitchen practice, where you develop basic culinary skills. You also learn about rooms division (front office, housekeeping) and reservation systems to ensure smooth hotel operations.
Event management: many hotel schools focus on event organisation. You learn how to develop a concept, plan the marketing around it and even get the chance to organise a real event during a project week.
Legal and economic knowledge: subjects like hospitality law, business law and cost control help you understand the legal and financial aspects of the hospitality industry.
Research and digitalisation: you develop research skills and learn to analyse trends. For example, you may work on market research and data analysis, preparing you for your graduation project.
Languages and communication skills
Communication is crucial in the hospitality industry, which is why hotel schools place great emphasis on language and communication. Most programs include English and a second foreign language (such as French, German or Spanish) throughout your studies. You learn to express yourself professionally to guests and colleagues in multiple languages, both verbally and in writing. There are also courses that strengthen your communication skills, such as presentation techniques, sales conversations and intercultural communication. The goal is that after hotel school you can communicate confidently in an international environment and work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
Personal skills and hospitable leadership
A hotel school education is not just about technical knowledge; it also focuses on developing personal skills and leadership qualities. The emphasis is strongly placed on hospitality, organisational improvement and leadership throughout the programme.
You are trained to become a socially skilled manager with a service-oriented and customer-focused mindset. This means learning how to lead teams, apply different leadership styles and solve problems while always maintaining hospitality as a core value. Through projects and hands-on experience, you become resilient, creative and adaptable to new situations, essential qualities for any hospitality professional. You also learn to critically assess business processes and propose improvements, enabling you to help organisations continuously grow and improve in the future.
Internships and international experience
Practical experience is an essential part of hotel school. Internships are therefore a standard component: in most programmes you complete two hotel internships during your studies and finish with a graduation project.
During an internship, you apply everything you have learned in the real world, for example in a luxury hotel, a boutique hotel or even at an event agency. Many students choose to complete at least one hotel internship abroad. In fact, international experience is so important that you are often required to complete part of your studies abroad, whether it’s an internship, exchange or project. This allows you to experience how hospitality is approached in another culture while improving your language skills and expanding your network.
Internships not only give you practical experience but also a preview of different career paths. You might discover that your passion lies more in food and beverage, or perhaps in event management, depending on where you intern.
Career prospects: the world at your feet
After graduating from hotel school, you hold a widely recognised diploma that extends beyond the hotel industry. Because the programme offers such a broad education, you can work in a wide variety of roles and sectors. Many graduates start their careers in hospitality, for example as management trainees, assistant hotel managers or event managers. Others move into different industries, working as marketing managers at event organisations, consultants or project managers in large companies. Hotel school graduates learn to think from the customer’s perspective and apply leadership skills, which allows them to advance quickly into positions of responsibility.
More importantly, the hospitable attitude and broad business knowledge you gain make you highly sought after in the job market. Whether you want to work close to home or internationally, a hotel school diploma gives you countless opportunities. And if you want to give your career a flying start, you can easily find the right job on Hotelprofessionals.nl, from major hotel chains to cosy boutique hotels. This way, everything you learned at hotel school can help you find a job that matches your ambitions and gives your hospitality career a strong boost.