Jeremy Kaplan
These days, people are often left wondering if in fact there are any good-paying jobs left at all.
The fact is, there definitely are, and despite massive disruption after disruption to our economy, there are still several growth industries out there. One such industry is the hospitality industry, which encompasses not only hotels and motels but also amusement, theme and water parks, cruise lines, spas, events, etc.
When people think of jobs in this field, they usually think of the low-level jobs a teenager would do, like being the guy in the big furry costume in the summer heat, or slinging popcorn and fast food to park patrons. The truth is, this industry is huge, and with the proper credentials, a whole bunch of middle to upper management positions open up.
This is definitely a field where technology has made things better in recent years. What used to be a logistics nightmare in theme and amusement parks, for example, has largely been cleaned up by things such as, Ticketing Software, and in general cloud technology and POS technology have really streamlined operations over the whole hospitality industry.
Of course, besides a hospitality degree (these degrees go all the way up to the Masters level, check it out), you will need to be very detail-oriented and organized for this type of work, and capable of constantly juggling multiple responsibilities. But people find that their salaries are in line with the kinds of responsibilities they have, so it can be considered a very fair and meritocratic industry.
Different types of venues or work environments will have vastly different requirements and needs for various employers. For example, huge corporate entities like Disney will tend to have lots of people working with very clearly defined portfolios, and their corporate culture is unique and thus has a bunch of unique rules, which we are told must be followed to the letter!
To use another example, the cruise ship industry needs not only cleaners and cooks etc., they also need doctors, dentists, psychiatrists, interpreters, and entertainers. For many, working on a cruise ship can be a golden opportunity to get paid to see the world, and for those who have no need to maintain a residence anywhere, they can save on rent, and if they are smart enough not to spend everything they earn in the ports they can find it a great opportunity to save up for some major purchase when they are back on land.
