Educational percptions of studying leisure and tourism - Essay Example

Research shows that "one reason why young people drop out of college and university is that they haven't chosen a subject that really interests them" (How can parents and careers help to make Vocational education and success 2007). For students within the age range of 14 to 19 understanding Applied Leisure and Tourism, and learning Leisure and Tourism, as a vocational curriculum, offers wider and attractive employment opportunity. Developing awareness and an understanding of general professional issues, in Leisure and Tourism, is crucial in vocational curriculum.

Leisure and recreation management is a unique and expansive field for young aspirants of vocational education, which covers many sectors, including sport and fitness, adventure and outdoor tourism, wilderness and national park recreation, even and facility management, and community recreation. As the hotel and hospitality industry moves increasingly from a skill-based to a knowledge-based industry, "higher learning has become increasingly critical to opening career doors and helping managers to be fully attuned to the culture, service and competitive aspects of the sector" (Why study Tourism and Leisure Management. 2007). In this perspective whether the educational approach and present curricula meet the requirements of students and employers calls for a critical review.

Empowering students to take responsibility for their own learning and personal development is the proper approach of any vocational education. It is also found that "encouragement from parents and carers can make all the difference to a young person's future" as young people drop out of college and university because they haven't chosen a subject that really interests them and parents could help them to choose the subject that motivates them to learn. (How can parents and careers help to make Vocational education and success 2007).

To achieve this objective, education modules should be formulated to assess the skills of students, and their attributes the employers look for in such graduates. Major attributes the employers look for are teamwork skills, communication skills, reflection and problem solving skill, giving and receiving feedback, negotiating skills, and responsibility for their own learning. Literary reviews in this respect reveal that "Knowledge and expertise based on experiences of combining education, learning and real business activities, are still rarely shared and transferred in modern European education" (Barnes, 2005, p.20). With this realization the government of UK is "considering replacing the current A-level system with an English baccalaureate" with GCSEs as the government's strategy for 14 to 19 year olds.

It "will see the cutting back of the curriculum to make space for pupils who want to opt for vocational lessons," so that youngsters disaffected with academic subjects will be able to learn craft skills in an effort to motivate pupils to stay in education. (Vocational options for bored pupils. 2003). The latest proposals for a relevant curriculum envisage that "by offering 14-year-olds the chance to study