The six-figure sum from the Employer Investment Fund (EIF) will be used to subsidise training programmes by up to 85 per cent, thereby allowing candidates to follow courses for a fraction of their original cost.
The programmes being offered by Women 1st are the Step Up course, the Female Chefs' Development Programme and the Leadership Network programme.
Women 1st training
Step Up, which runs for six days, focuses on developing women’s leadership skills with the aim of helping female junior managers attain the skills they need to become chief executives or senior managers. The subsidised course will cost each candidate £300.
The Female Chefs’ Development Programme, also available for £300 over six days’ training, provides management training to help female chefs move into more skilled and senior positions.
The Leadership Network, which comes at a cost of £200, matches candidates with a dedicated mentor to help them move up in their careers.
"The new funding is a welcome boost for ambitious women and their employers in our industry,” said Sharon Glancy, the founder of Women 1st.
“Our CPD (continuous professional development) programme and the leadership mentoring network have proved very popular. Feedback shows that our training delivers real results, with a third of participants achieving career progression, 20 per cent securing an increase in salary despite the difficult financial climate, and nearly 90 per cent believing they have the confidence to help break the 'glass ceiling'.
"It's very easy for training and development to become a lesser priority, especially in such a difficult economic climate. However, given the tangible results our subsidised training can provide, it should not be a deal breaker, especially when it can have such a positive impact on career progression. It's vital that we do what we can to retain talent within our sector."
Places limited
Women 1st has already provided training and mentoring for 400 women, including employees from companies such as Merlin Entertainments, ABode Hotels, Victory Services Club and Sodexo.
The additional funding, 50 per cent of which will be paid on sign-up and the remainder on completion of the training, will allow the group to extend its training to an additional 300 people, Women 1st told BigHospitality.
Places are open to female managers, who can apply by contacting Dan Power on dan.power‘at’people1st.co.uk or Eleanor Cooper on eleanor.cooper‘at’people1st.co.uk.