Information for Students & Families

With exciting local opportunities to live, work and play, your future looks bright in the Pocono Mountains.

The hospitality and tourism industry is thriving in the Poconos, providing a wide variety of dynamic career paths allowing students to pursue their passions at world-renowned properties and trusted, family-operated businesses. That love of cooking could lead you to a job helping to whip up delicious dishes at a local restaurant, which in turn could give you the expertise you need to one day open your own dining establishment. Poconos professionals have started out as a lifeguard or a waiter and transitioned into management, corporate sales, special events and more. The possibilities are endless, and you never know where the connections you make at area businesses could take you.

Many school districts in the Poconos are connected with great vocational schools like Monroe Career and Technical Institute and Carbon County Career and Technical Institute, allowing secondary school students to gain hands-on skills and experience in fields like business and hospitality, culinary arts, and more that will open doors to post-graduation employment. Students at Delaware Valley School District in Pike County and Wayne Highlands School District in Wayne County also have access to career and technical education programs.

After high school, students can start on a track to an Associate Degree or Bachelor’s Degree in fields like hospitality, culinary arts, business and communication at two-year colleges like Northampton Community College Monroe Campus. Lackawanna College Lake Region Center offers studies in hospitality and culinary arts, and Lehigh Carbon Community College offers a culinary arts program for those looking to prepare for a career in the food service industry.

East Stroudsburg University now offers a dedicated Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management, giving undergraduate students a comprehensive foundation to succeed in the industry. Other ESU majors like Business Management can also lead to careers in hospitality and tourism, with many internship opportunities for ESU students to get you started making connections before you graduate. Another four-year college in the area offering a Hospitality Business Management Degree is Keystone College in Lackawanna County.

Hospitality and Tourism Education Opportunities in the Poconos

The mountains are calling! Start thinking about where your skills and passions could lead you in the Poconos. Browse more opportunities below, including current job listings and scholarship opportunities.

Scholarships

To support the future leaders of our communities and industry, the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau offers scholarships for high school students and undergraduates. Students pursuing degrees in hotel, restaurant and tourism management, recreation and leisure services management or related fields that support the hospitality and tourism industry may be eligible: click here to learn more.

Pick Up The Poconos

Pick Up The Poconos volunteers gather to clean up trash throughout our region, and local students and school groups generously donating their time have been a vital part of that effort. If your school isn't involved yet, grab a group of friends and plan to volunteer at the next clean-up! Many schools offer environmental clubs as well as recycling and green programs that enable students to make a difference all year=round.

Family-Friendly Events Right in your Backyard

Get out and enjoy the Poconos! Keep an eye on our events calendar to discover opportunities for fun, stewardship and community that are open to you right now. When you attend a weekend festival, think about the businesses you see and whether you might be interested in being part of their work. If there's a local happening that you love to attend with your family and friends, consider checking for seasonal or summer jobs at that property. When you pursue a career in hospitality and tourism, you become a part of the beloved memories that visitors make in the Poconos.