What would I need to do to get into the industry?

The first step to "getting into the industry" is to decide exactly what you want to do. Saying that you want to do something related to theme parks/ roller coasters will get you no where. As others have said if you want to design costers start with an engineering degree. If you just want to work in a theme park, there are plenty of career choices. There is a posting on careerbuilder.com right now for a restaurant manager in a theme park in Orlando.

-Brian

I too plan on going into the industry. I was going to do mechanical engineering, but then I realized that I barely passed Algebra 2, so I switched to Hospitality Management. If this is what you want to do, I would recommend STRONGLY applying to University of Central Florida-Do a google search for the Rosen College of Hospitality Management-it is by far the best hospitality school-a mile away from Sea World, it's on Universal blvd, quater mile from the Convention Center, and the only Hospitality school I know that has classes in Restaurant, Hotel, Theme Park, Convention Center, Lodging, Event Planning, and one more-on the tip of my tongue. Plus it is right next to the Shingle Creek Golf Course, so we get the association green fee of around 29-35 dollars :)

We also have the FTPLA club (Future Theme Park Leader's Association) which I am a travel coordinator for. We just started but are trying to network to parks across the state, then the nation, and hopefully the world (gotta start small though). PM me if you have any questions

What is the job placement percentage of this Theme Park Hospitality track? I'm curious, because the vast majority of parks only promote from within.

-Nate

I am not sure, but we do have great internships with Universal and Walt Disney World, and I am going to try to network the idea through to Cypress Gardens (me and my professors that is, hopefully to get through to them with the club)

coasterdude318 said:
What is the job placement percentage of this Theme Park Hospitality track? I'm curious, because the vast majority of parks only promote from within.

Actually, we were talking with Jeff (Seibert) at BeastBuzz and he mentioned that the whole "promote from within" idea is changing rapidly. It's kind of an old school way of thinking.

One of the main things about bringing in new blood was the infusion of new ideas and procedures.

He mentioned that they've found always promoting from within leads to the same old people doing the same old things and stagnation in general.

I'm not arguing the point - we've all seen and heard the 'promote from within' thing in countless situations. Just saying that it looks like that hardened rule may be coming to an end...at least in some places.

coasterimage - lordgonchar

Purdue University - West Lafayette, Indiana has a Hospitality, Tourism Managment degree program. Their satellite campus in Northwest Indiana also has an HTM program. Am not too sure about placement rate after graduation, etc. I will be starting in the fall (I am 46, so it is never too late!) I am hoping when I retire from my current job, hopefully in about 5 year, I can move somewhere warm and work in theme park operations. For those of you on-line who might be involved in theme park operations?is going back to school for this degree going to be a waste of my time? (I already have a Bachelor's degree in Human Resources.)

Its called Mechanical Engineering

If I recall, Arrow Dynamics has been out of business for a few years. That may be why you aren't getting a response. That or they just don't care.

Nevermind, just ignore me, I didn't read further before replying to justcazisaidso. Sorry!

I emailed GCI (Great Coasters International) about what it would take to get into "the industry" and they told me to study either mechanical or civil engineering and to laern how to use the AutoCAD program. Email them and see what they tell you.