Higher Certificate: Hospitality Management

Purpose

This qualification applies to individuals wanting to equip themselves for a frontline or lower management position in a hospitality-related organisation. Learners achieving this qualification are competent to apply hospitality-specific frontline and lower management knowledge and skills within the field. Furthermore, this qualification contributes to regional and national goals of South Africa in a variety of ways, through:

• The inclusion of certain generic competencies.
• The inclusion of certain management competencies.
• Providing learners with an undergraduate qualification with exposure to hospitality-specific management principles and practices.
• Ensuring that learners will be employable on graduation, but at the same time will have the knowledge base to continue with further learning.

Rationale

The Hospitality sector in South Africa is a dynamic industry which is growing at a rapid pace. It is a multi-faceted, service driven industry that depends to a large extent on customer interaction and therefore requires highly skilled and knowledgeable employees.

The Higher Certificate: Hospitality Management could contribute vastly in the following areas

• Socio-economic growth of the country.
• Closing the gap of unemployment.
• Contributing to service excellence in the Hospitality Industry.
• Addressing current industry needs.
• Enhancing continuous professional development in the Hospitality sector.
• Providing the hospitality industry with relevant and practical training that is required for learners, employees and prospective employees.

The draft CATHSSETA 5-Year Sector Skills Plan 2011/12 - 2015/16 indicates that there is a need to develop 4000 General Managers, Caf� or Restaurant Mangers and Hotel or Motel Managers by the year 2015. This qualification will assist in meeting these needs by training the relevant hospitality personnel.

It is assumed that the learners are competent in communication and mathematical literacy at NQF Level 4.

Recognition of Prior Learning

In terms of admission to the qualification, prior learning is recognised as follows

• Learners in possession of a Grade 12 equivalent certificate who have appropriate work experience in a specific field may apply for Recognition of Prior Learning for a relevant subject or subjects in the Higher Certificate: Hospitality Management. Applicants will be required to write an admission evaluation that assesses their competence/prior learning in the areas of numeracy, literacy and analytical and critical reasoning.
• Furthermore, they will be required to submit the following:

> Relevant scholastic certificate.

> Academic records at other tertiary institutions if applicable.

> Referee reports from teachers, employers and lecturers (if applicable) familiar with the applicant.

> Statement of purpose - particular emphasis placed on ability to communicate coherently.

- Prior learning is also recognised in the following instances

> A learner who has completed a specific module at IHS the learner may apply for a credit for that module.

> A learner who has completed the equivalent of a specific module at another recognised higher education institution may apply for exemption from that module.

No more than 50% of the modules of this qualification may be recognised through prior learning.

Access to the Qualification

Learners must be in possession of one of the following

• National Senior Certificate with appropriate subject combinations.

OR

• Recognised Grade 12 equivalent.

OR

• Prior learning demonstrating an appropriate level of competence.

The qualification comprises seven modules at NQF Level 5 which total 120 Credits. The modules are made up of five compulsory modules and two modules chosen from a given list.

Compulsory modules

• Hospitality Today, 12 Credits.
• Supervision, 12 Credits.
• Housekeeping, 15 Credits.
• Front Office, 15 Credits.
• Experiential learning Component, 50 Credits.

Total credits for the compulsory modules: 104.

Complete two of these optional modules

• Managing Beverage Operations - 8 Credits.
• Planning and Control in Food and Beverage Operations - 8 Credits.
• Spa: an Introduction - 8 Credits.
• Retail management for Spa's - 8 Credits.
• Finance for Spa's - 8 Credits.

Total Credits for the optional modules: 16.

1. Describe the hospitality industry and its various offerings to demonstrate understanding of the operations.
2. Implement the housekeeping principles and operations in a hospitality instance.
3. Formulate and implement Front Office operations, reservations and registration.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of hospitality-related financial management, accounting and inventory.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of retail and retail planning.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

• Factors which impact on the hospitality management field enable learners to identify and solve problems in a creative manner through critical thinking.
• Learners are assisted in exploring a variety of strategies to make decisions through the use of critical thinking.
• Learners will communicate effectively by means of visual and/or language skills in the field by negotiating, consulting and interviewing relevant stakeholders and through written and/or oral presentations.
• Learners will be able to use science and technology effectively and critically in order to enhance the field product.
• Learners will work effectively with others as a member of a team, group, organisation or community.
• Learners will be guided in the collection, analysis, organisation and critical evaluation of information.
• Learners will be able to participate as responsible citizens within local, national and global communities across a range of social contexts.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Differentiate between service and product orientated businesses.
• Demonstrate understanding of the dynamics, nature and trends of the hospitality industry.
• Implement human resource policies and labour relations' rules.
• Demonstrate an understanding of ethics and social responsibility in the hospitality industry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Develop and implement day-to-day housekeeping operations.
• Implement and practice the principles of environmental, energy and housekeeping management.
• Explain safety and security regulations in the hospitality industry.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Develop and apply effective communication channels and guest services.
• Implement and conduct sales and reservation inquiries, procedures and registration processes.
• Create and maintain Front Office accounting processes and procedures.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Design and interpret income statements, ratio analyses, pricing and menu engineering.
• Describe capital budgeting and lease accounting.
• Develop and implement a business plan.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Apply purchase strategies and conduct inventory management.
• Evaluate financial sales and service factors of the business.
• Discuss visual merchandising, marketing principles and spa retail opening.

Integrated Assessment

The International Hotel School practices an integrated system of assessment.

Formative assessment is an ongoing process. Learners are required to complete class tests and assignments. The results count towards the final year mark for each module.

The summative assessment is an examination which is conducted on completion of each module.

The practical component is work-based assessment.