Abstract
Over time, the long-standing challenge of closing the gap between academics and industry has considerably impacted both parties involved. Some Technical Universities began offering Bachelor of Technology (BTech) programs in Hospitality Education to address this issue. This study sought to evaluate students' awareness of the BTech program, its benefits, and the difficulties of enrolment. A quantitative study utilizing an online survey was conducted with 300 hospitality students in Diploma and Higher National Diploma (HND) classes in the Hotel Catering and Institutional Management department at Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), Ghana. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and Eviews software. To achieve the research objectives, cross-tabulations, Granger causality tests, and multiple linear regression. The study's findings revealed that the majority (97%) of the students were aware of the BTech degree in Hospitality Education. Students acknowledged the program's practical approach, viewing it as a good avenue to gaining significant competency and increasing their competitiveness in the labour market. However, many students suffered a huge financial burden because of the program, making enrolment difficult. Considering these findings, the study recommends that hospitality educators and industry partners work together to incorporate a comprehensive practical component into the program while addressing cost restrictions. This strategy attempts to enhance the overall effectiveness of the BTech programs and allow greater participation by students.
Author Information
Gloria Owusu Sarpong, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana
John Ayuekanbey Awaab, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana
Irene Ashley, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana
Abena Sekyere, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Ghana
Priscilla Osae-Akonnor, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana
Paper Information
Conference: PCE2024
Stream: Educational Research
This paper is part of the PCE2024 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Sarpong G., Awaab J., Ashley I., Sekyere A., & Osae-Akonnor P. (2024) Students’ Perceptions of the Bachelor of Technology (BTech) Program in Hospitality Education: A Study of Kumasi Technical University, Ghana ISSN: 2758-0962 The Paris Conference on Education 2024: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 183-193) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2024.15
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2758-0962.2024.15
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