Hospitality’s ‘Earn & Learn’ degree a pathway to tourism careers
SETU students Caitlin Cleary and Zeteny Kovacs; Jacinta Greene Beatty, lecturer and programme leader, SETU; Cyril Mc Aree, managing editor, Hotel and Restaurant Times; Eammon Dowling, SETU student; Dr Don O'Neill, former head of the Department of Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism, SETU (now vice-president for global partnerships).
Hospitality and tourism support more than 270,000 livelihoods across Ireland and continue to evolve as visitor expectations shift towards authentic, local experiences.
While digital technologies and artificial intelligence are changing how businesses operate, the industry continues to rely on highly skilled people who can deliver exceptional customer experiences and strong leadership.
A new programme by South East Technological University (SETU) has been designed to meet this demand by combining academic learning with structured workplace experience. Students remain employed throughout the programme, attending classes one day per week while applying their learning directly in the workplace through industry projects and professional development.
Jacinta Greene-Beatty, SETU Programme Leader, said: “This programme embodies the old Irish seanfhocal, ‘Giorraíonn beirt bóthar’ or ‘two shorten the road’. It demonstrates what can be achieved when higher education and industry work together with a shared vision. Developed in partnership with employers, alumni and representative bodies, it creates a flexible pathway for people to earn a recognised business degree while continuing to build their careers, strengthening both the talent pipeline and the future of Ireland's hospitality and tourism sector.”
The programme was shaped through extensive consultation with an External Advisory Board comprising representatives from Fáilte Ireland, the Irish Hotels Federation, the Irish Hospitality Institute, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, the South East Regional Skills Forum, County Wexford Chamber Skillnet, industry leaders, SETU graduates, and academic staff.
Research commissioned by the South East Regional Skills Forum also demonstrated strong employer demand, with more than four in five hospitality businesses surveyed expressing interest in participating in the programme.
Sarah Dolly, head of tourism careers at Fáilte Ireland, said: “The launch of this programme at SETU is a significant and positive development for the tourism and hospitality sector. It reflects the ambition of SETU, alongside the many local tourism leaders who have supported its development, to further elevate the industry as a professional, dynamic and future-focused career choice. Through its work-integrated model, the programme creates accessible and compelling pathways into the sector, while building the practical expertise, managerial capability and leadership potential that will drive its continued growth and long-term success.”
Sarah Millea, director of HR, Mount Juliet Estate, said: “This programme provides a valuable pathway for colleagues across the hospitality and tourism sector to advance their education and career while continuing to work and gain practical experience. It is a fantastic opportunity to develop future talent and strengthen hospitality and tourism across the southeast and beyond.”
The programme also receives significant support from County Wexford Chamber Skillnet, which is offering eligible participants funding of up to 40% of programme fees, while the Irish Hospitality Institute will provide complimentary student membership throughout the programme and graduate membership upon completion.
Graduates will develop expertise in hospitality and tourism management, leadership, customer experience, human resource management, sustainability, digital marketing, media, community representation, entrepreneurship and revenue management, preparing them for supervisory and management roles across hotels, restaurants, visitor attractions, tourism organisations, events and related experience-led service industries.
