STUDENT’S PERCEPTION AND WORKING COMMITMENT IN THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY SECTOR: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

Abstract

The tourism and hospitality sector has been recognised as one of the faster growing and largest economic sector in the world. It becomes the second-largest sector contributing to economic and employment in Malaysia. The study aims to investigate the perception among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students towards the tourism and hospitality sector. There are many debates about the perception in tourism and hospitality sector such as unstable job environment, low promotion opportunities, long working hours, family conflict, low prestige and unskilled job, lack of motivation and high turnover. This study had been designed based on the five dimensions to capture student perception. Data were collected from 95 respondents and, selected based on purposive sampling techniques. The quantitative research method was used in this study. The data obtained were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results indicated that the tourism and hospitality sector were seasonal, unstable jobs and, insufficient pay. However, there are many positive responses had been identified such as respondents were exciting and enjoying to communicate with foreign visitors, proud about their career, satisfied with promotion opportunities, and they were pleased to attach with the tourism and hospitality sector after graduation. The multiple regression result indicated the working commitment most influence by social status compared to another dimensions. Recommended to future researcher to expand the sample size to other TVET institutions in other countries and, apply others method such as qualitative and mixed method to explore in-depth understanding of students‟ perception and working commitment in the tourism and hospitality sector.