Hospitality

Because of the sheer amount of hospitality that goes on during an F1 race weekend, there are a variety of roles, both full and part time with a number of different organisations, not just with the teams themselves. Catering (both front and back of house), events managers and co-ordinators, maintenance and hosting staff all play a part in ensuring the smoothing running of the hospitality programmes during the season.   Disclaimer – the information below is not intended to be a replacement for professional careers advice.

The core skills that you would need for the hospitality department would depend on the role that you are looking to work in, but some typical traits would include;

• Commitment and motivation
• Interpersonal skills
• Effective communication
• Organisation, research and thinking ahead
• The ability to work as part of a team, as well as working on your own initiative
• Enjoy helping people and want to give them an outstanding experience
• Willing to work long hours
• Enjoy maintaining high standards and have good attention to detail

The kind of roles that exist within the hospitality in F1 are:

• Catering staff – Chefs, serving staff, both front and back of house, ensuring everyone is fed and watered!
• Hosts / Ambassadors – The ‘face’ of the hospitality team, ensuring guests are greeted and looked after during their stay
• Hospitality Supervisors and Manager – Running and organising the hospitality teams
• Maintenance – Constructing, maintaining and deconstructing the hospitality facilities during a race weekend

The subjects that you would generally have an interest in would depend on what specific area of hospitality that you would like to pursue, however some general subject advice is below.

GCSE’s:

Maths
English
IT
Languages
Home Economics
Performing Arts

A Levels:

Languages
English
Maths
Media or Business Studies
Leisure & Tourism

Apprenticeships:

The hospitality sector is vast and spans a wide range of industries.  Gaining initial training and work experience with an apprenticeship is a popular foundation to a successful career.  There is some information on apprenticeships in the hospitality sector on the UK Government website, which you can find here.  You can find details of apprenticeship opportunities online on various job websites.

Ideas:

Look at job descriptions online for the types of roles you are interested in.  See what kind of qualities and qualifications they are looking for.  This can really help you to focus your studies, work experience and all-round knowledge of the industry towards your goal.

If you intend to go to University, please check with the admissions department of your preferred University to ensure that the A Level subjects you choose are acceptable for the course you wish to take, before you choose which A Levels you’d like to do. 

Further information on choosing the right A Levels for your future aspirations can be found here: https://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/for-students/school-and-college-in-the-uk/subject-choices-at-school-and-college/

There are a number of routes into hospitality, and many roles that don’t require a University degree. Sometimes the road to a career in hospitality in Formula 1 begins from a completely different sector altogether.  However, should you wish to go to University and study hospitality specifically, here are a selection of relevant courses to consider.

University Courses to consider (in no particular order):
University of Surrey – International Hospitality Management BSc (Hons)
University of Strathclyde – Hospitality and Tourism Management
University of Coventry – Tourism and Hospitality Management
University of Gloucestershire – Hotel, Resort and Events Management
University of Westminster, London – Tourism and Events Management

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
https://www.ucas.com/

The Student Room
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk

Institute of Hospitality
https://www.instituteofhospitality.org/

Catering in Formula 1
https://www.dhl-in-motion.com/en/formula-1/article/catering-at-formula-1-a-glimpse-behind-the-scenes

Paddock Pressure – What goes on behind the scenes
http://en.espn.co.uk/f1/motorsport/story/74938.html

The Theory of Hospitality & Catering

Hospitality Management

The Theory of Hospitality & Catering