When Queen Elizabeth was being served her meal during Chogm, all eyes were on the waiter placing the dish in-between the perfectly polished cutlery in front of her.

A brilliant manager at an excellent hotel was hosting her, but at that moment nothing counted more than the service from the front-liners, the waiter and the dishwasher, said Catherine Zammit, from the Malta Tourism Authority.

Ms Zammit was speaking to the Times of Malta about the variety of career opportunities within the tourism sector, which is experiencing increased demand.

Choosing a career in tourism could be daunting for some who are not yet convinced they would fit in or have only heard of the long hours and other downsides of a career in this industry.

MTA is therefore providing Form Four students with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience by spending a week at a restaurant or hotel, among others.

One student, who took up the opportunity two years ago, is now responsible for a restaurant’s larder and dessert sections, at the age of 16.

Bjorn Schembri, who is pursuing his studies in tourism, spent some days job-shadowing at this same restaurant. Through that short stint, he realised there were more positives than negatives, including career progression.

MTA is urging secondary school students to take up these voluntary placements that form part of its Choice Campaign, to be able to better understand the sector.

A pioneer of career exposure among secondary school students, MTA is exploring ways to extend the week-long job shadowing experience.

But parents need to be roped in as well, because some, unaware of the career progression possibilities within the industry, often discourage their children from taking up a job in tourism, Ms Zammit noted.

And in the meantime, the industry is struggling. An increasing demand because of the increasing number of tourists is being met by a decreasing supply of professionals locally within the tourism sector.

Peter Rieks, Maritim Hotel managing director, explained that locally, some people had an old-fashioned perception of tourism: they viewed employees within this sector as ‘servers’.

This overshadowed the “adventurous and fun nature of the job”, Mr Rieks said, and led to a decrease in the local pool of employees. Employers had no other choice but to seek workers from outside of the EU.

For those actively seeking employment within the industry, having participated in MTA’s Choice Campaign is a plus, as employers know that participants have already been exposed to industry’s demands, rather than just giving it a go.

Those interested in this career exposure experience should speak to their school’s career advisors and guidance teachers.

Ms Zammit can be contacted on catherine.a.zammit@visitmalta.com