Kenyan students in travel, hospitality and tourism have been urged to position themselves to tap the lucrative international job market with chances of earning thousands of shillings an hour.

Kenyan trainees in the field have not exploited the opportunities in the global market, said Gerald Lipman, an Australian hospitality industry expert.

Lipman gave a public lecture at Mount Kenya University’s School of Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Management in Thika, Kiambu county.

Lipman, a member of the International Association of Hotel, Culinary Arts and Tourism Schools in Australia, emphasised the need for quality hospitality education and the importance of producing well-rounded graduates for the global hotel industry.

He also highlighted the significance of blending classroom learning with hands-on experience, known as “placement”, on global trends and requirements for workers in the sector.

Different countries, he added, offer varying environments for placements, with Australia a notable example due to its competitive pay rates, where students can earn more than A$23 or Sh 2,071 per hour.

“However, securing placements in large cities can be challenging and costly,” Lipman said.

A good hospitality graduate should possess three key attributes: good skills, academic papers and professionalism, he said.

“Graduates should be adept at performing core hospitality tasks such as table service, setting tables, serving food and drinks, cleaning rooms and tables, and even checking guests into rooms which are recognised worldwide,” he said.