Skills Competition as Perceived by the Tourism and Hospitality Management Students

This study aimed to identify the different skills competition that have been joined by the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management (CITHM) students, its implications in terms of university branding and students’ placement opportunities in the industry. It is also intended to seek the perceived suggested impacts of skills competition to the students and to analyze if there is significant relationship between implication of skills competition to branding and opportunities. The study made use of descriptive method and utilized a self-made questionnaire. It was concluded that out of the total population of the College of International Tourism and Hospitality Management, most of the respondents have joined CITHM Exposition. The researchers found out that the implications of skills competition in terms of university branding enhances students’ competency with other universities and students’ placement opportunities in the industry improves the quality of work of the students. The study also showed that the respondents gained self-confidence and improved their intra/interpersonal skills. The result of the study showed that there are significant relationship between branding and opportunities, if branding is eminent, and that student placement opportunity in the industry also heightens.

Keywords – Skills Competition, Tourism Industry, university branding