More Than 60 Companies Expected at Hospitality Career Expo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 15, 2013
A record amount of companies will be recruiting at the 20th annual Hospitality Career Expo on Thursday, Feb. 21. More than 60 leading organizations will visit Cal Poly Pomona to recruit top-notch talent at The Collins College of Hospitality Management.
As one of the best hospitality management colleges in the United States and the oldest and largest in California, The Collins College is a hotbed for recruitment. The positions at the Hospitality Career Expo will range from management internships, management training programs, entry-level management positions, and mid-level opportunities. The companies represent a wide range of sectors of the hospitality industry, such as hotels; foodservice; wine, beer and spirit distribution; event management; cruise lines; airlines, and more.
“Collins College students are attractive to employers because they have the reputation of being ready to work when they graduate,” said Ann Lara, career services coordinator.
Hospitality in California is growing and the demand for talent is high. Restaurants jobs in the state are expected to grow by 10 percent over the next decade, according to the California Restaurant Association. Travel to the Golden State is on an upswing as well. In 2011, more than 200 million people visited California generating $102 billion in direct spending, according to Visit California.
The worst year for the expo in the last decade occurred in 2009 when 35 companies participated. This year’s uptick can be attributed to a number of factors such as the industry’s economic rebound. Notably, the college also strategically implemented a career services program in 2010, in partnership with the Cal Poly Pomona Career Center. Staffing and operations are funded with the support of private donations.
“With private support, the Career Center and The Collins College have been able to create a specialized career services program focused on hospitality management students,” said Tom Munnerlyn, director of the Career Center. “This year’s turnout is an indication that our partnership is paying off, and the students reap the benefit.”
The Hospitality Career Expo will take place at the Restaurant at Kellogg Ranch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.