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- Service and clerical jobs, most of which do not require
postsecondary training, account for nearly 3 out of 4 jobs.
- Hotels employ many young workers and others in part-time
and seasonal jobs.
- Average earnings are lower than in most other industries.
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| Nature of the Industry |
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Hotels and lodging places are as diverse as the many families
and business travelers they accommodate. The industry includes
all types of lodging, from upscale hotels to camp grounds. Other
accommodations included in this category are motels, destination
spas, inns, and boarding houses. In fact, over 59,000
establishments provided overnight accommodations to suit many
different needs and budgets in 1997.
Establishments vary greatly in size and in the services they
provide. Hotels and motels make up the majority of
establishments and tend to provide more services than other
lodging places. They consist of three basic types—commercial,
resort, and residential. Most hotels and motels
are commercial properties that cater mainly to business
people, tourists, and other travelers who need accommodations
for a brief stay. Commercial hotels and motels usually are
located in cities or suburban areas and operate year round.
Larger properties offer a variety of services for their guests,
including coffee shops, restaurants, and cocktail lounges with
live entertainment. Some even provide gift shops, newsstands,
barber and beauty shops, laundry and valet services, theater and
airline counters, swimming pools, and fitness centers and health
spas.
Larger hotels and motels often have banquet rooms, exhibit
halls, and spacious ballrooms to accommodate conventions,
business meetings, wedding receptions, and other social
gatherings. Conventions and business meetings are major sources
of revenue for these hotels and motels.
Conference hotels, are fully self-contained entities
specifically designed for meetings. They provide physical and
recreational facilities for meetings in addition to state of the
art audiovisual and technical equipment.
Resort hotels and motels offer luxurious
surroundings with a variety of recreational facilities like
swimming pools, golf courses, tennis courts, game rooms, and
health spas, as well as planned social activities and
entertainment. Resorts are located primarily in vacation
destinations near mountains, the seashore, or other attractions.
As a result, the business of many resorts fluctuates with the
season. Some resort hotels and motels provide additional
convention and conference facilities to encourage customers to
combine business with pleasure. During their off season, they
solicit conventions, sales meetings, and incentive tours to fill
their otherwise empty rooms.
Residential hotels provide living quarters for permanent
and semi-permanent residents. They combine the comfort of
apartment living with the convenience of hotel services. Many
have dining rooms and restaurants that are also open to the
general public.
In addition to hotels and motels, inns, campgrounds,
and destination spas provide lodging for overnight
guests. Inns vary greatly in size, appearance, type of
operation, and cost. Some inns are very large and provide
services similar to those found in hotels, and others are quite
small and often run by families. Their appeal is quaintness,
unusual service, and decor. Campgrounds, including trailer
and recreational vehicle (RV) parks, cater to people
who enjoy recreational camping at moderate prices. Some
campgrounds provide service stations, general stores, shower and
toilet facilities, and coin-operated laundries. Although some
are designed for overnight travelers only, others are for
vacationers who stay longer. Destination spas offer an
all-inclusive package with lodging, food, and spa programs
included for a single fee. Most destination spas are small, with
under 80 guestrooms.
In recent years, hotels, motels, camps, and RV parks
affiliated with national chains have been growing rapidly. To
the traveler, familiar chain establishments represent
dependability and quality at predictable rates. Many chains are
owned by national corporations, although others are
independently-owned, but affiliated with a chain through a
franchise agreement.
Increased competition and greater traveler sophistication
have induced the chains to provide lodging to serve a variety of
customer budgets and accommodation preferences. In general,
these lodging places may be grouped into properties that offer
luxury, all-suite, moderately priced, and economy
accommodations. The number of "limited service"
properties—economy lodging without lobbies, restaurants,
lounges, and meeting rooms—has been growing. These properties
are not as costly to build and operate. They appeal to
budget-conscious family vacationers and travelers who are
willing to sacrifice amenities for lower room prices.
All-suite facilities, especially popular with business
travelers, offer a living room and a bedroom. These
accommodations are aimed at travelers who require lodging for
extended stays, families traveling with children, and business
people needing to conduct small meetings without the expense of
renting an additional room.
Increased competition has spurred many independently-owned
and operated hotels and other lodging places to join national or
international reservation systems, which allow travelers to make
multiple reservations for lodging, airlines, and car rentals
with one telephone call. Nearly all hotel chains operate on-line
reservation systems through the Internet. For now, these
Internet systems are complementing more established reservation
systems; however, in the future a high percentage of lodging
reservations will be made through the Internet.
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| Working Conditions |
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Work in hotels and other lodging places can be hectic,
particularly for those providing check-in and checkout services.
Hotel desk clerks must quickly, accurately, and cordially
process large numbers of sometimes impatient and irate guests.
Hotel managers often experience pressure and stress when
coordinating a wide range of events such as conventions,
business meetings, and social gatherings. Further, large groups
of tourists can present unusual problems requiring extra work
and long hours.
Because hotels are open around the clock, employees
frequently work varying shifts. Employees who work the late
shift generally receive additional compensation. Although
managers who live in the hotel usually have regular work
schedules, they may be called at any time in the event of an
emergency. Those who are self-employed tend to work long hours
and often live at the establishment.
Food preparation and food service workers in hotels must
withstand the strain of working during busy periods and being on
their feet for many hours. Kitchen workers lift heavy pots and
kettles and work near hot ovens and grills. Job hazards include
slips and falls, cuts, and burns, but injuries are seldom
serious. Food service workers often carry heavy trays of food,
dishes, and glassware. Many of these workers work part-time,
including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
In 1998, work-related injuries and illnesses averaged 8.4 for
every 100 full-time workers in hotels and other lodging places,
compared to 7.1 for workers throughout private industry. Work
hazards include burns from hot equipment, sprained muscles and
wrenched backs from heavy lifting, and falls on wet floors.
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| Employment |
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Hotels and other lodging places provided almost 1.8 million
wage and salary jobs in 1998. In addition, there were about
61,000 self-employed workers in the industry, who were found
mostly in lodging places other than hotels and motels, such as
inns, campgrounds, and destination spas.
Employment in the hotel and motel industry is concentrated in
densely populated cities and resort areas. Compared to
establishments in other industries, hotels, motels, and other
lodging places tend to be small. Over 90 percent employed fewer
than 50 people; about 60 percent employ fewer than 10 workers
(see chart).
As a result, lodging establishments offer opportunities for
those who are interested in owning and running their own
business. Although establishments tend to be small, most jobs
are in large hotels and motels with over 50 employees.
Many of the industry’s workers are young because the
industry provides first jobs to many new entrants to the labor
force. About 20 percent of the workers were younger than age 25,
compared to about 15 percent across all industries (table 1).
| Table 1. Percent
distribution of employment in hotels and other lodging
places by age group, 1998 |
| Age group |
Hotels and motels |
All industries |
| Total |
100.0 |
100.0 |
| 16-19 |
6.9 |
5.4 |
| 20-24 |
13.4 |
9.5 |
| 25-34 |
24.5 |
23.9 |
| 35-44 |
26.0 |
27.5 |
| 45-54 |
16.4 |
21.0 |
| 55-64 |
9.2 |
9.8 |
| 65 and older |
3.7 |
2.9 |
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| Occupations in the Industry |
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The vast majority of the workers in this industry—over 3
out of 4 in 1998—were employed in service and administrative
support occupations (table 2). Workers in these occupations
usually learn their skills on the job. Postsecondary education
is not required for most entry-level positions; however, college
training may be helpful for advancement in some of these
occupations. For many clerical and service occupations,
personality traits and special abilities may be more important
than formal schooling. Traits most important for success in the
hotel and motel industry are good communication skills; the
ability to get along with people in stressful situations; a
neat, clean appearance; and a pleasant manner.
Service occupations, by far the largest occupational
group, account for 63 percent of the industry’s employment.
Most service jobs are in housekeeping and building service
occupations—including maids, housekeepers, janitors, linen
room attendants, and laundry workers—and in food preparation
and service jobs—including chefs and cooks, waiters and
waitresses, bartenders, food counter workers, and various
kitchen workers.
Workers in cleaning and housekeeping occupations
ensure that the lodging facility is clean and in good condition
for the comfort and safety of guests. Maids and
housekeepers clean lobbies, halls, guest rooms, and
bathrooms. They make sure guests not only have clean rooms, but
all the necessary furnishings and supplies. They change sheets
and towels, vacuum carpets, dust furniture, empty waste-baskets,
and mop bathroom floors. In large hotels, the housekeeping staff
may include assistant housekeepers, floor supervisors,
housekeepers, and executive housekeepers. Janitors help
with the cleaning of the facility and perform minor maintenance
work. They may fix leaky faucets, do some painting and
carpentry, see that heating and air-conditioning equipment works
properly, empty trash, mow lawns, and exterminate insects and
rodents.
Table 2. Employment of wage and salary
workers in hotels and other lodging places by
occupation, 1998 and projected change, 1998-2008
(Employment in thousands) |
| Occupation |
1998
Employment |
1998-2008
Percent change |
| Number |
Percent |
| All occupations |
1,776 |
100.0 |
17.6 |
| Service |
1,120 |
63.1 |
15.6 |
|
Janitors and cleaners, including
maids and housekeeping cleaners
|
425 |
24.0 |
18.1 |
|
Waiters and waitresses
|
167 |
9.4 |
2.3 |
|
Cooks, restaurant
|
68 |
3.8 |
12.2 |
|
Amusement and recreation attendants
|
51 |
2.9 |
27.9 |
|
Dining room and cafeteria attendants
and bar helpers
|
49 |
2.8 |
5.6 |
|
Food preparation workers
|
48 |
2.7 |
17.8 |
|
Food counter, fountain, and related
workers
|
40 |
2.3 |
44.7 |
|
Bartenders
|
40 |
2.3 |
5.7 |
|
Institutional cleaning supervisors
|
32 |
1.8 |
12.8 |
|
Baggage porters and bellhops
|
28 |
1.6 |
16.9 |
|
Guards
|
27 |
1.5 |
16.9 |
|
Hosts and hostesses, restaurant,
lounge, or coffee shop
|
25 |
1.4 |
15.4 |
| Administrative support, including
clerical |
273 |
15.4 |
15.7 |
|
Hotel, motel, and resort desk clerks
|
155 |
8.7 |
13.8 |
|
Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing
clerks
|
22 |
1.3 |
6.9 |
|
Office and administrative support
supervisors and managers
|
24 |
1.3 |
26.8 |
| Executive, managerial, and
administrative |
124 |
7.0 |
19.8 |
|
Food service and lodging managers
|
39 |
2.2 |
6.4 |
|
General managers and top executives
|
31 |
1.7 |
26.2 |
|
Management support occupations
|
17 |
1.0 |
27.0 |
| Precision production, craft and repair |
81 |
4.6 |
21.7 |
|
Maintenance repairers, general
utility
|
59 |
3.3 |
18.7 |
| Marketing and sales |
72 |
4.0 |
26.8 |
|
Cashiers
|
36 |
2.0 |
22.7 |
| Operators, fabricators, and laborers |
48 |
2.7 |
35.4 |
|
Laundry and drycleaning machine
operators and tenders
|
27 |
1.5 |
38.1 |
| Professional specialty |
34 |
1.9 |
30.3 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and
related |
20 |
1.1 |
27.7 |
|
Laborers, landscaping and
groundskeeping
|
19 |
1.1 |
27.6 |
| All other occupations |
3 |
0.2 |
27.7 |
Workers in the various food service occupations deal
with customers in the dining room or at a service counter. Waiters
and waitresses take customers’ orders, serve meals,
and prepare checks. In restaurants, they may describe chef’s
specials and suggest appropriate wines. In small establishments,
they often set tables, escort guests to their seats, accept
payments, and clear tables. They may also deliver room service
orders to guests. In large restaurants, some of these tasks are
assigned to other workers.
Hosts and hostesses welcome guests, show them to
their tables, and give them menus. Bartenders fill
beverage orders that waiters and waitresses take from the
customers at tables and seated at the bar. Dining room
attendants and bar helpers assist waiters,
waitresses, and bartenders by clearing, cleaning, and setting up
tables, and by keeping the serving areas stocked with linens,
tableware, and other supplies. Counter, fountain, and
cafeteria workers take orders, assemble, and serve food at
fast food counters and cafeteria steam tables. They also may
operate the cash register.
Workers in the various food preparation occupations
prepare food in the kitchen. Beginners may advance to more
skilled food preparation jobs with experience or specialized
culinary training. Food preparation workers shred lettuce
for salads, cut up food for cooking, and perform simple cooking
under the direction of the chef or head cook. Cooks and chefs
generally prepare a wide selection of dishes, often cooking
individual servings to order. Large hotels employ cooks who
specialize in the preparation of many different kinds of food.
They may have such titles as salad chef, roast chef, sauce chef,
or dessert chef. Chef positions generally are attained after
years of experience and sometimes formal training, including
apprenticeships. Large establishments also have chief
stewards and assistant stewards who plan menus,
purchase food, and supervise various kitchen personnel.
Many full-service hotels employ a uniformed staff to assist
arriving and departing guests. Bellhops and baggage
porters carry bags and escort guests to their rooms. Door-keepers
help guests into and out of their cars or taxis, summon taxis,
and carry baggage into the hotel lobby.
Administrative support positions account for about 15
percent of the jobs in hotels and other lodging places. Hotel
desk clerks, secretaries, bookkeeping and accounting clerks, and
telephone operators see to it that all operations of the front
office are carried out smoothly. The majority of these workers
are hotel desk clerks. They process reservations
and guests’ registration and checkout, monitor arrivals and
departures, handle complaints, and receive and forward mail. The
duties of hotel desk clerks depend on the size of the facility.
In small lodging places one clerk or a manager may do
everything. In large hotels, the duties are divided among
several types of clerks. Although hotel desk clerks sometimes
are hired from the outside, openings usually are filled by
promoting other hotel employees such as bellhops and porters,
credit clerks, and other administrative support workers.
Hospitality workers arrange special services for guests,
such as city tours, theater tickets, baby sitting, personal maid
service, or hotel reservations in other cities. Hotel public
relations workers are usually executive assistants to top
management. They must be completely familiar with all hotel
operations and policies and act as spokespersons for the hotel.
They may handle press, community, and consumer relations, and
prepare radio or television announcements as well as newspaper
and magazine articles. Some hotels combine the public relations
functions with advertising or sales. Advertising workers
design and coordinate advertising campaigns and oversee the
production of promotional literature.
Hotels and motels employ many different types of managers
to direct and coordinate the activities of the front office,
kitchen, dining rooms, and the various hotel departments, such
as housekeeping, accounting, personnel, purchasing, publicity,
sales, and maintenance. Managers make decisions on room rates,
establish credit policy, and have ultimate responsibility for
resolving problems. In small hotels or inns, the manager also
may perform much of the front office clerical work. In the
smallest hotels and motels, the owners—sometimes a family
team—do all the work necessary to operate the business.
General managers in large hotels often have several
assistant managers, each responsible for a phase of operations.
For example, food and beverage managers oversee
restaurants, lounges, and catering operations. Large hotels and
conference centers also employ public relations and
sales managers to promote their image as well as to bring in
business. Large hotels have many different sales managers,
including convention managers, merchandise managers, foreign
sales managers, and tour and agency managers. They often travel
around the country selling their meeting, banquet, and
convention facilities.
Hotels employ a variety of workers found in many other
industries. Among these are cashiers, accountants, personnel
workers, entertainers, recreation workers, and maintenance
workers, such as stationary engineers, plumbers, and painters.
Still others include guards and security officers, barbers,
cosmetologists, valets, gardeners, and parking attendants.
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| Training and Advancement |
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Although the skills and experience needed by workers in this
industry depend on the specific occupation, most entry-level
jobs require little or no previous training. Basic tasks usually
can be learned in a short time. Almost all workers in the hotel
and motel industry undergo on-the-job training which usually is
provided under the supervision of an experienced employee or
manager. Some large chain operations have formal training
sessions for new employees, and others have video training
programs.
Hotel operations are becoming increasingly complex, with a
greater emphasis being placed on specialized training.
Therefore, the demand for people with special skills obtained in
colleges, junior colleges, technical institutes, vocational
schools, and high schools is increasing. Vocational courses and
apprenticeship programs in food preparation, catering, and hotel
and restaurant management, offered through restaurant
associations and trade unions, provide training opportunities.
Programs range in length from a few months to several years.
Nearly 200 community and junior colleges offer 2-year degree
programs in hotel and restaurant management. The Armed Forces
also offer experience and training in food service.
Traditionally, many hotels filled first-level manager
positions by promoting administrative support and service
workers—particularly those with good communication skills, a
solid educational background, tact, loyalty, and a capacity to
endure hard work and long hours. People with these qualities
still advance to manager jobs, but more recently lodging chains
have primarily been hiring persons with 4-year college degrees
in the liberal arts or other fields and starting them in trainee
or junior management positions. Bachelor’s and master’s
degree programs in hotel and restaurant management provide the
strongest background for a career as a hotel manager, with
nearly 150 colleges and universities offering programs.
Graduates of these programs are highly sought by employers in
this industry. New graduates often go through on-the-job
training programs before being given much responsibility.
Eventually, they may advance to a top management position in a
large chain operation.
Upper management positions, such as general manager, food and
beverage manager, front office manager, or sales manager,
generally require considerable formal training and job
experience. Some department managers, such as comptrollers,
purchasing managers, executive housekeepers, and executive
chefs, generally require some specialized training and extensive
on-the-job experience. To advance to positions with more
responsibilities, managers frequently change employers or
relocate to a chain property in another area.
For administrative support and service workers, advancement
opportunities in the hotel industry vary widely. Some workers,
such as housekeepers and janitors, generally have few
opportunities for advancement. In large properties, however,
some janitors may advance to supervisory positions. Hotel desk
clerks, hospitality workers, and chefs, sometimes advance to
managerial positions. Promotional opportunities from the front
office often are greater than from any other department, because
one has an excellent opportunity to learn the overall operation
from this vantage point. Front office jobs are excellent
entry-level jobs and can serve as a stepping stone to jobs in
hospitality, public relations, advertising, sales, and
management.
Advancement opportunities for chefs and cooks are better than
those for most other service occupations. Cooks often advance to
chef or to supervisory and management positions, such as
executive chef, restaurant manager, or food and beverage
manager. Some transfer to jobs in clubs, go into business for
themselves, or become instructors of culinary arts.
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| Earnings |
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Earnings in hotels, motels, and other lodging places
generally are much lower than the average for all industries. In
1998, average earnings for all nonsupervisory workers in hotels
and motels were $8.92 an hour, or $279 a week, compared to
$12.77 an hour, or $442 a week, for workers throughout private
industry. Many workers in this industry earn the Federal minimum
wage of $5.15 an hour. Some States have laws which establish a
higher minimum wage. Federal laws, however, allow employers to
pay below the minimum wage when an employee is expected to
receive tips.
Food and beverage service workers as well as hosts and
hostesses, doorkeepers, housekeepers, and bellhops and baggage
porters derive their earnings from a combination of hourly
earnings and customer tips. Waiters and waitresses often derive
the majority of their earnings from tips, which vary greatly
depending on menu prices and the volume of customers served.
Many employers also provide free meals and furnish uniforms.
Food service personnel may receive extra pay for banquets and
other special occasions. In general, workers with the greatest
skills, such as restaurant cooks, have the highest earnings, and
workers who receive tips have the lowest. Earnings in the
largest occupations in hotels and other lodging places appear in
table 3.
Salaries of hotel managers and assistants are dependent upon
the size and sales volume of the establishment and their
specific duties and responsibilities. Managers may earn bonuses
ranging up to 20 percent of their basic salary. In addition,
they and their families may be furnished with lodging, meals,
parking, laundry, and other services. Some hotels offer
profit-sharing plans, tuition reimbursement, and other benefits
to their employees.
About 10.6 percent of the workers in hotels and other lodging
places are union members or are covered by union contracts,
compared to 15.4 percent of workers in all industries combined.
| Table 3. Median hourly
earnings of the largest occupations in hotels and other
lodging services, 1997 |
| Occupation |
Hotels and other
lodging
services |
All industries |
| Cooks, restaurant |
$8.69 |
$7.54 |
| Maintenance repairers, general utility |
8.19 |
10.89 |
| Janitors and cleaners, except maids and
housekeeping cleaners |
7.37 |
7.44 |
| Hotel desk clerks |
7.05 |
7.05 |
| Food preparation workers |
7.01 |
6.42 |
| Bartenders |
6.65 |
5.94 |
| Maids and housekeeping cleaners |
6.37 |
6.74 |
| Dining room and cafeteria attendants and
bartender helpers |
6.10 |
5.73 |
| Amusement and recreation attendants |
5.80 |
5.88 |
| Waiters and waitresses |
5.66 |
5.59 |
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| Outlook |
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Employment in hotels, motels, and other lodging places is
expected to increase 18 percent over the 1998-2008 period,
faster than the 15 percent growth projected for all industries
combined. Job growth reflects rising personal income, an
increase in the number of two-income families, continued
low-cost airfares, emphasis on leisure-time activities, and
growth of foreign tourism in the United States. In addition,
special packages for short vacations and weekend travel should
stimulate employment growth and, as more States allow some form
of gambling, the hotel industry will increasingly invest in
gaming, further fueling job growth.
Job opportunities should be concentrated in the largest hotel
occupations, such as chefs and cooks, hotel desk clerks, and
janitors and cleaners, including housekeepers. Many of these
openings will arise in full-service hotels and resorts and spas.
Because all-suite properties and budget hotels and motels do not
have restaurants, dining rooms, lounges, or kitchens, these
limited-service establishments offer a narrower range of
employment opportunities for workers in the industry.
Employment outlook varies by occupation. Employment of hotel
desk clerks is expected to grow rapidly as some of these workers
assume responsibilities previously reserved for managers.
However, the spread of computer technology will cause employment
of other clerical workers—bookkeeping, accounting, and
auditing clerks and secretaries, for example—to grow more
slowly than the industry as a whole.
Employment of hotel managers and assistants is also expected
to increase more slowly than the overall hotel industry due to
the growth of economy-class establishments with fewer
departments to manage. However, the trend toward
chain-affiliated lodging places should provide managers with
opportunities for advancement into general manager positions and
corporate administrative jobs. Opportunities should be more
limited for self-employed managers or owners of small lodging
places.
Job turnover is relatively high in this industry,
particularly in lodging places, other than hotels and motels. To
attract and retain workers, the lodging industry is placing more
emphasis on hiring and training. Nevertheless, many young
workers and others are only looking for seasonal or part-time
work, not a career. Therefore, job opportunities exist for
first-time job seekers and people with a wider range of
experience and skills, including those with limited skills.
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| Sources of Additional Information |
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For information on hospitality careers write to:
- Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education,
1200 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20036-3097.
- The American Hotel and Motel Association, Information
Center, Suite 600, 1201 New York Ave. NW., Washington, DC
20005.
General information on food and beverage service jobs is
available from:
- National Restaurant Association, 1200 17th St. NW.,
Washington, DC 20036-3097.
Information about housekeeper and janitorial jobs may be
obtained from a local State employment service office or from:
- Service Employees International Union, 1313 L St. NW.,
Washington, DC 20005.
Information on housekeeping management may be obtained from:
- National Executive Housekeepers Association, Inc., 1001
Eastwind Dr., Suite 301, Westerville, OH 43081. Phone: (800)
200-6342.
For information on the American Culinary Federation’s
apprenticeship and certification programs for cooks, write to:
- American Culinary Federation, P.O. Box 3466, St.
Augustine, FL 32085.
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