Almost 1,000 universities offer two- or four-year hospitality management programs. These programs require internships at establishments with the intent of the student gaining real-world experience.
Management courses include nutrition, report composition, security, procedures and policies, employee management, business law and record keeping.
Regardless of the setting of training, managers must master the ins and outs of a restaurant or hotel's in-house computer system.
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation offers Foodservice Management Professional certification. The Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association offers the two-year Lodging Management Program ending in the designation of Certified Rooms Division Specialist.
Although the turnover rate for restaurant and hotel jobs is high, the opportunities for managers will be limited. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that both restaurant and hotel management positions are expected to grow only 5 percent, a comparatively small amount, from 2008 to 2018.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary of restaurant managers was $46,320 as of May 2008, while hotel managers surveyed made a median salary of $45,800.