Hospitality students around the world are eager for international career opportunities, and many are considering working in China after graduation, according to a survey jointly conducted by global hospitality company Hilton Worldwide and Les Roches Jin Jiang International Hotel Management College (LRJJ), China's top international hospitality management school.

The survey, which aimed to better understand young people's thinking on careers in the industry, was conducted as part of the two-day Generation Y Conference in Shanghai. A total of 474 students from leading hospitality schools in five countries - China, Switzerland, Australia, Spain and the United States - took part in the survey.

The survey found that the opportunity for an international career is the decisive factor in choosing to study hospitality, with 51 percent of respondents citing it as one of their top five reasons. In addition, 65 percent of students are considering working in China after graduation.

"China is witnessing unprecedented growth in the hospitality sector, which presents huge opportunities for young people, who have a passion for working in the industry. We are committed to nurturing young talent to support our expansion needs, helping young professionals realize their career ambitions and also contributing to the overall development of the industry," says David Osborne, senior vice-president of human resource operations and development of Hilton Worldwide. The company has set the goal to extend and deepen its presence in China by expanding from its current 28 hotels to more than 100 properties in China by 2015.

The survey also found about 40 percent of students rank hospitality education as one of the top three factors that will help them achieve their vision of a successful career. Additionally, nearly half of the students surveyed (47 percent) say they regard career progression as the most important factor when applying for their first permanent job.

"The value of hospitality education in preparing students for successful careers in the industry is well recognized and appreciated. We will continue to work closely with leading industry players like Hilton Worldwide in developing our curriculum to meet the changing needs of the workplace and provide our students a head start in their careers when they graduate," says Judy Hou, CEO of LRJJ.

In doing so, LRJJ has inked a partnership with Hilton to offer top students internship opportunities to complement their classroom learning. Under the program, students are offered opportunities to attend lectures, onsite visits and e-learning programs specially designed to prepare them for the workplace. Outstanding students could potentially secure job offers with Hilton Worldwide upon graduation.

mazhenhuan@chinadaily.com.cn