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The hotel industry has many varied roles for you: you could be working in reception or elsewhere in a front of house position, or portering, or waiting table or even behind the scenes completely in housekeeping.

With an apprenticeship you are likely to split your time between college and the hotel, gaining both theory and practical skills whilst earning a small wage. Most apprenticeships last about 3 years and you are usually employed fully at the end by the company that is sponsoring you.

Here are some points to consider if you're thinking about an apprenticeship or career in the hospitality sector:

You'll need to have a lot of self-confidence, because you'll be meeting business clients who have certain expectations when it comes to service, as well as guests on their annual holiday and want everything on a plate (metaphorically speaking).

Different establishments have their own shift patterns, so you can expect to be working long - and sometimes strange - hours.

You need to feel comfortable under pressure as this is about a service culture, i.e. providing good customer service.

This could involve working around the country or world!!

Success in the industry depends very much on the people skills you've got.

Different companies look for different skillsets in prospective employees - for example, a second language may not be very important to some employers, but could be essential to others.

Hook up with someone already in the hospitality trade and get their honest opinion about the pros and cons of their career and lifestyle.

The hotel industry is often a fun place to be, with lots of young people, lots of opportunity to progress and travel. There are numerous hotel groups and independents who are always looking for lots of bright young employees or apprentices. There are also lots of associated businesses around hospitality such as travel companies and airlines that also hire lots of school and college leavers.