The announcement was made by the UK-based global operator at the same time as the launch of the IHG Academy programme at the Holiday Inn Stratford City, attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.
The Holiday Inn Stratford City will open soon, in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and is one of four hotels in the area that will be creating new jobs, for which students of the IHG Academy programme can apply.
Holiday Inn, an IHG brand, is the official hotel provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Neighbourhood talent
Richard Solomons, IHG’s chief executive, said the Olympics was one of the main reasons behind the announced job creation across the 275 UK hotels. IHG is opening two new hotels in time for the Games and 140 of the jobs to be created this year will be in the vicinity of the Olympic Village.
“Hospitality is a great business to be in and working in hotels offers people exciting career paths for the future. We’re pleased to be working with our hotel owners to create jobs and training opportunities in the UK at this time," he said.
"The IHG Academy programme allows us to join with local education bodies in the UK and around the world to provide real-life skills and enhance employment prospects for local people. IHG benefits by having access to talent from the neighbourhoods near our hotels,” Solomons added.
Nick Clegg
The newest hospitality training academy for IHG will be launched in partnership with Newham College in one of the Games’ host boroughs and IHG claims successful students from the academy will be well-placed to apply for the jobs to be created in 2012 and over the next three years.
Speaking at the launch of the academy programme, Clegg said the jobs announcement showed the strength of the UK hospitality sector and was good news for employment and the local areas where new jobs will be created.
"The British service sector is world-beating, and will soon welcome millions of guests to enjoy London 2012. But reaching this gold standard needs investment in people. IHG is leading the way in their sector through a tailored academy programme. It’s an added investment that means young people can learn the skills for the industry in a local college, and then start their career in a local hotel," he said.
"This shows real investment in our future workforce, is a huge boost for jobs across the country, but crucially will see local people benefit from training and work,” he concluded.
Six month course
IHG, which also operates the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Indigo brands, franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,400 hotels worldwide and currently employs over 15,000 people in the UK, nearly a quarter of whom are under-25.
The operator currently has 42 academy programmes in operation around the world and the Newham programme will provide students from the local area with a Hospitality Level 2 Diploma NVQ and the opportunity to apply for jobs at entry level with IHG after a six month course with four weeks hotel work experience.
IHG, which announced its 2011 trading figures last week, will create 2,992 new jobs in the UK over the next three years, 1,144 will be created in 2012.