The group, which manages four hotels in Edinburgh and the Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa in Dundee, will train the new apprentices across all areas of the hotels including housekeeping, food and beverage, reception and the kitchen.
“The programme offers the perfect chance to earn a wage while learning skills and gaining qualifications and Apex are proud to be involved,” said Apex Hotels Group’s owner Norman Springford.
“It is a great way to get young people involved in the hospitality industry which has many different and varied aspects to suit a wide range of young people.”
First steps
An event hosted at the Apex International Hotel, in conjunction with Independent Training Consultants (ITC), last week brought together hospitality business owners, education centres, charities and tourism bodies to highlight the benefits of working in hospitality for young people looking to begin an exciting and varied career.
Those in attendance included representatives from the Job Centre, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Springboard, the Institute of Hospitality and several of the Apex management team.
Speaking at the event, Angela Constance, Scottish Government Minister for Youth Employment, said: “Modern Apprenticeships are not just a job, but a first step on the career ladder. They offer the chance to earn a wage and skills which set them up for the rest of their career.
“It is clear hospitality offers a wide range of opportunities which meet the needs of young people in Scotland. It is an important growth area in the country.
“The climate is challenging at the moment, but young people are always hit harder. They are held back, not from lack of talent, but a lack of economic opportunity and we need young people to be working. It is the right thing, and the smart thing, to employ young people.”
Ian McCulloch, chief executive of ITC, added: “Working closely with organisations like Apex Hotels helps to provide opportunities for young people to enter an industry that not only can provide excellent career opportunities but also provides them with transferable skills they can use in other occupational areas therefore making them more flexible in today’s job market.”
The Modern Apprentice
As a ‘Modern Apprentice’, candidates will develop expertise and knowledge through on-the-job training in addition to gaining skills in areas such as teamwork, problem solving, communication and improved numerical and IT skills.
Applicants must be aged between 16 and 24 and be willing and capable of achieving a level 2/3/4 Scottish Vocational Qualification in their relevant area through work-based assessment.
Applicants should possess or hope to gain appropriate standard grade passes at grade 4 or above in English and Maths and ideally be eligible for Skills Development Scotland funding.
For more information, email edinburgh.recruitment@apexhotels.co.uk
As well as having the Edinburgh and Dundee hotels in its portfolio, Apex Hotels opened its third London property,Apex Temple Court, in March of this year.