Importance of Foreign Language for a career in Tourism : Perception of Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management Alumni of Central Luzon State University
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Date
2023
Authors
Justine Dimple G. Audencial
Jessabel T. Cabiles
Cedrick James M. Concepcion
Ray Gerald C. Oliva
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Abstract
The present study investigates the role of a basic foreign language to the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Industry (DHTM) Alumni particularly their perception of how it became an important skill to them in their approach to different career pursuits in the hospitality and tourism industry. From year 2013, henceforward, it is noted that the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management (DHTM) of Central Luzon State University (CLSU) has offered Foreign language subject as one of the student's learning area. In this regard, the researchers opted the DHTM Alumni as the key informants to fulfill the research interest ought to seek by the research study. In this instance, the researchers used Semi-structured interview as a research instrument to conduct sources for information needed by the study. The researchers used exponential discriminative snowball sampling, due to the difficulty of reaching the sample and finding the respondents who have specific characteristics of interest. The researchers interviewed (10) respondents who are DHTM Alumni of Central Luzon State University, have a prior background in foreign language learning, and landed work in hospitality and tourism industry.
Based on the results and objectives of the study, the DHTM Alumni's background knowledge of a basic foreign language has become advantageous to secure a job as it is utilized for communicating with different types of nationalities across the world. In today's a globalized market, the knowledge for basic foreign language has been regarded with great importance. Given this, the findings revealed that basic knowledge is a must-have and in demand skills for both communication and job, since the source of income of the tourism industry involves cross-cultural encounter. Thus, it is evident that DHTM Alumni gained access to different career opportunities as the basic foreign language skill is incredibly necessary for qualification in any tourism-related work. Furthermore, the study also finds the basic foreign language skills boosts the DHTM Alumni's competitiveness for both work and job application. various companies prefer an employee with background in basic foreign language specifically when the target market is being considered. At the workplace, this skill remained relevant as it is used to further communicate and understand foreign customers which helped to greater develop their quality of work as an employee. Interms of Practical Application, the DHTM Alumni cited ways on how the basic foreign language skill is exercised. It is mainly utilized as a mode for communication to interconnect with foreign customers in order to establish a clear understanding. Thus, breaking language barrier facilitates smooth transaction which made them to be Work-effici9ent. In terms of being a Work-ready, the findings revealed that their prior knowledge improves their sense of work preparedness for prospective communication across different foreign customers.