CHT exam — how much of it is hospitality specific vs general training methodology

That ratio tracks with my experience taking the CHT. The AHLEI credential is specifically for hospitality training professionals, so the contexts are always hospitality (front desk SOPs, F&B service training, housekeeping onboarding) but the underlying principles are standard L&D methodology. You need both layers to do well.

Six years in hospitality L&D puts you in a strong position for the application questions. The methodology content is the layer most hospitality trainers develop informally — if you've been doing it by intuition, it's worth explicitly learning the frameworks (Bloom's, ADDIE, Kirkpatrick) because they show up by name in questions.

The evaluation section — specifically measuring training effectiveness and connecting training to business metrics — is where a lot of hospitality trainers fall short on the exam. We tend to measure reaction and maybe learning (L1/L2) but rarely behavior change or ROI (L3/L4). Know the Kirkpatrick model cold.

CHT is well-regarded within AHLEI/AH&LA credentialed circles and opens doors at branded properties and management companies. If your career path stays in hospitality, it's a more targeted signal than a generic L&D credential.