PurposeOne of the goals of educational institutions is to prepare their graduates to be workplace-ready. The purpose of this paper is to identify the employability skills lacking in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) industry from employers' perspectives to assist STEM educational institutions in creating more relevant programs inclusive of employability skills.Design/methodology/approachThis study addresses 16 job-specific skills based on data deriving from the responses of 250 Human Resource Managers (HRMs) who represent five manufacturing industries (Aerospace and Defense, Automotive, Consumer Products, Electronics and Industrial Manufacturing) located in five regions (Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, West-Mountain and Pacific) of the United States.FindingsThe median scores for all 16 skills confirmed their importance for employability in the five manufacturing industries. The five highest ranking skills were team player, self-motivation, verbal communication, problem-solving and being proactive, which align with previous studies on workplace skills.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is a call to all STEM educational institution stakeholders, both internal and external, to re-assess current curriculum and programs and collaborate to narrow the gap between graduate competencies and the practical needs of the workplace.Originality/valueThis paper attempts to bridge the gap between the competencies gained in STEM educational institutions and the competencies needed for the future workplace, as confirmed by HRM professionals. Although this study is focused on STEM educational institutions in the United States, it will be of interest to all STEM educational institutions worldwide who play a significant role in preparing the next generation of employees for the global workplace.

No abstract

Tourism is a lucrative business, and Swiss hotels rely heavily on international clientele to book their rooms. The Coronavirus pandemic has halted travel and hotel stays from March to June 2020. Based on Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), this paper investigates the messages Swiss hotels have posted on their official websites and Facebook pages to reassure guests that it is safe to book rooms in Switzerland again. The findings from 73 independent 4 and 5-star hotels show that most hotels did not publish messages regarding the Coronavirus or the measures they have taken; instead, the hotels posted positive messages about reopening their rooms and services. Official hotel websites emphasized deals and offers while the Facebook pages concentrated on enthusiastic ‘welcome back’ messages. The findings presented here contribute to the literature by offering the first results of a larger project on communication during the de-confinement stage of a pandemic.

Currently, higher education (HE) institutions include sustainability concepts into their programs. Previous literature examined the opportunities and challenges of integrating sustainability at an institutional, curricular, and instrumental level. We administered the Sulitest (sustainability literacy test) and a survey to first semester students at one international hospitality management school in Switzerland. While our students scored slightly higher than the Swiss average, the lowest scores recorded derived from the category knowledge-role to play, individual & systemic change. The survey demonstrated students' high interest and strong support of sustainability in their academic and professional careers. Over 67% of respondents rated sustainability for their professional lives as extremely important. HE institutions have the opportunity to teach sustainability concepts that resonate with students. While research promotes embedding sustainability in all courses, our results show that students' sustainability knowledge can improve in one intensive course. Further studies must be conducted to confirm retention and engagement.

No abstract