Launched in 1987, the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism prepares students for post-secondary education and careers through a theme-based, contextualized curriculum approach. Academic learning experiences are combined with hands-on work experience to help students develop the thinking and problem-solving skills critical to post-secondary education and career success.
The Academy provides public high school students with the requisite knowledge and skills for a successful career in one of the world's largest service industries, through a curriculum that provides an in-depth look at all aspects of tourism and hospitality, including coursework in business, geography, hospitality, and economics. The Academy of Hospitality & Tourism operates as a small learning community and is located in more than 110 high schools nationwide.
The World's Largest Industry
As one of the world's largest industries, hospitality and tourism offers a wide variety of career choices to employees at every experience level. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment was at an all-time high of 12,125,000 in 2003. Moreover, the employment boom is expected to continue; occupational forecasts indicate an increase of 17.8 percent through 2012, and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that total sales of U.S. tourism industries grew 11.6 percent ($20.5 billion) to $757.7 billion in the first quarter of 2004, exceeding the overall tourism sales for the industry's peak in fourth quarter 2000. |
Meeting the Needs
The need for academic instruction and practical industry-related work experience to prepare young people to enter this exciting field is more critical than ever. Through their Academy experience, students gain an understanding of the connections that exist between their education and the workplace. Academy teachers and industry mentors provide students with the curriculum and guidance necessary for rewarding careers. With more than 500 travel-related companies participating as business partners, the Academy fosters the personal, analytical, technical and communications skills needed for a career path in hospitality and tourism. |