Businesses are being urged to consider apprenticeships to help bridge the recruitment crisis in hospitality – and a new apprenticeships fair has been launched to help them do so.
The Hospitality Apprenticeships Fair will take place at Metropolis restaurant in Coventry on Wednesday, February 9 as part of National Apprenticeship Week.
It is a collaboration between WCG, Stratford-upon-Avon College, Coventry College, Coventry City Council, Warwickshire Skills Hub and Pet-Xi.
The event is set to attract local employers from across the region’s hospitality sector, with the likes of Caviar & Chips (which owns the Virgin’s and Castle in Kenilworth) and Bespoke Hotels already confirmed.
Prospective apprentices will be able to meet face-to-face with employers and training providers to explore opportunities for apprenticeships within the hospitality industry.
For businesses interested in taking on apprentices, training providers and employers will be on hand to answer questions and shine a light on how businesses can get the most out of apprenticeships.
Julie Crump, Chief Operations Officer of Caviar & Chips Hospitality Group, said: "Apprenticeships are a fantastic route into a career in hospitality. Not only do you get the academic learning and support, but apprentices get first-hand experience in meaningful roles that benefit the employer.
“The hospitality industry has had a tough time in the last couple of years, but we're beginning to see this turn around. Through adverse times often comes change and new ways of doing things and we're really looking forward to bringing new, talented people into a really rewarding sector.
“There's a great opportunity for young people to start an apprenticeship and go straight into the workplace, earning money and fast-tracking through to becoming our future leaders.”
Metropolis is run by Pet-Xi Restaurants. Fleur Sexton, Managing Director of PET-Xi, said: “There is no doubt that there is an ongoing need for vocational training to be at the very heart of all hospitality businesses’ development plans.
“At Metropolis, despite a period of uncertainty we have invested heavily in the city’s young people. This investment has come in the form of training young people in a live environment which will provide the skills and attributes they require to progress in the sector.
“By providing this routeway we are tackling the challenge head on of the chronic staff shortages we are currently seeing in this sector, which currently has over 151,000 vacancies.
“We are proud to work alongside our college partners, including WCG, in promoting apprenticeships in this sector and see these as a key driver to sector recovery and economic growth.”
John Colclough, Business Development Manager at WCG, added: “The skills shortage in hospitality has been widely reported and it continues to be an issue locally, regionally and nationally. Apprenticeships have potential to be the key to bridging that skills gap and bringing more skilled individuals into the industry.
“Working alongside other training providers we have put together this new apprenticeships fair and hope to introduce more people to the prospect of taking on an apprenticeship in hospitality, while also educating businesses on how apprenticeships can benefit them.”
Gemma Knott, Vice Principal for Business Growth, Engagement and Partnerships at Coventry College, added: “We are excited to be working alongside other education providers in the region to hold this event, and look forward to meeting enthusiastic people in the local area who are keen to enter the hospitality industry, and seeing how we can help them with their careers.”
The Hospitality Apprenticeship Fair is free to attend and will run from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. For more information visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hospitality-apprenticeships-fair-coventry-warwickshire-tickets-243616111347
PICTURE CAPTION: Hospitality apprentices (Credit: Caviar & Chips Hospitality Group).