Early professional outcomes of hospitality management alumni: A comparative analysis of career success indicators from three experiential learning models

The purpose of this research was to quantitatively compare the early professional outcomes of hospitality management alumni from three experiential learning models in post secondary education. As methods of experiential learning, the terms cooperative education and the internship are often used interchangeably because this reflects the use of the current terms in both the hospitality field and in hospitality education. The comparison was accomplished by using a purposive sample of alumni from the graduating classes of 2003, 2004, and 2005. The alumni represented three similar hospitality management programs in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States who use three differing cooperative education models within the curriculum.; Survey design was used for this comparative, descriptive research. A four-page quantitative survey was developed by the researcher and sent to 469 potential respondents in the fall of 2006. The overall final response rate was 33% (N=155). Responses were coded for each of the three schools, and were then analyzed using descriptive statistics. Frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were computed for each school. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means of the Likert-type scale responses from each of the three universities. The Chi-square test was used to determine categorical relationships.; The ANOVA served to answer the research questions requiring comparative analysis in the areas of realistic job preview, workplace competencies and job satisfaction. The Chi-square analysis was used to determine possible relationships between the university experiential learning model and early work outcomes such as starting salary, promotion rate, and industry tenure. The results of the study indicate a relationship exists between the three experiential learning models and (1) promotion rate, (2) starting salary, and (3) industry retention. Statistically significant differences were found between the university internship/co-op models and three dimensions of realistic preview of the industry, and three dimensions of current job satisfaction. No differences among the three models were found in job competencies as a result of participating in a co-op/internship experience.