Students’ Communication with Employers: The Competitiveness and Employability Perspective

Purpose – This paper discusses the topic of the competitiveness of tourism and hospitality students on the job market. As the current economic recession continues, the tourism and hospitality industry (THI) in Slovenia faces an alarming decrease in revenue, and the employment crisis is expected to worsen. Higher education institutions (HEI) are concerned with the future of their graduates and, therefore, have to equip them with relevant skills, knowledge and attitudes, as well as raise their awareness of the importance of lifelong learning, i.e. formal, non-formal and experiential learning. Methods – Our discussion focuses on students in the second and third years of their studies at the faculty of tourism. The survey evaluates data regarding the amount and the quality of their competencies as well as their job marketability in order to assess their future competitiveness on the job market. Findings – The results indicate that students need to improve their competitive edge by striving to reach a higher level of competencies and to increase their competitive spirit so as to enhance their future opportunities on the job market. Originality of the research – Thus far, little research has been devoted to assessing students’ performances in increasing their competitiveness before graduation. This paper aims to provide a feedback tool for both students and the faculty about students’ achievements and their awareness of the importance of competence development as well as the ability to demonstrate and present their competencies to employers in the THI.