Pre-employment training in Hospitality: Twitter debate

The debate will be held on Wednesday (25 September) between 4 and 5pm, with participants able to ask questions or offer their own comments using the hashtag #qactnow.​​

It is the third event of its kind to be staged by the Guild, and will this time around cover four key areas:

• What are the benefits of recruiting people that have completed pre-employment training?
• What’s the best approach to offering pre-employment training?
• Are there any drawbacks?
• What job roles is pre-employment training best suited for?

Confidence boost​

Martine Pullen, the Hospitality Guild’s head of pre-employment and apprenticeships, believes pre-employment training can help prepare a wide range of people to work in the sector, whether they are new to the role, returning to work after a long period of time, or would like to gain some experience and skills before starting an apprenticeship.

“I truly believe that there is a lot of value to pre-employment training,” said Pullen. “I have personally seen how it can increase learners’ confidence while preparing them to work in our sector and help employers recruit people who are committed to developing a career in the sector.

“Now we want to hear from other people who have used pre-employment training in our sector to find out what they think. How they are using it? And how we can make sure more people understand its importance?

“We’ll also be on hand to offer advice and guidance to people who haven’t had anything to do with pre-employment training yet, but who want to find out more.”

The Hospitality Guild's Act NOW! on Apprenticeships campaign was launched in February 2013.  For more information visit www.hospitalityguild.co.uk/actnow. 

BigHospitality Special Feature​

The issue of pre-employment training will be discussed further in our own upcoming Special Feature. ‘How to attract young people into the industry and offer them a career path to success will be the theme, with the four-part feature will be going out in a special BigHospitality newsletter at the end of the month. Subscribe here.​​

Meanwhile, young people in Wales are set to be introduced to a new route into the hospitality with the launch of a new, tailor-made apprenticeship programme by the National Assembly for Wales’ Senedd.

People 1st Cymru is working with leading employers, work-based learning providers, colleges and learners across Wales to pilot the shared apprenticeship programme which it hopes will meet the specific needs of the industry.

Rewarding careers​

Twenty-four young learners will be given a chance to complete their apprenticeship by rotating between three high quality employers over 18 months. They will be supported, mentored and trained in three different brands across different working cultures, thereby extending their knowledge, skills and experience. 

Phil Raynsford, director of People 1st Cymru, said: ‘The Hospitality industry employs over 93,000 people in Wales and continues to grow. This is an exciting opportunity for young people to undergo an industry recognised apprenticeship with not one but three different employers.  It will give them the foundation of skills to become hospitality professionals and go on to build exciting and rewarding careers.”

The apprentices recruited for the programme include a mix of school and college leavers and young people under the age of 24 who are returning to work in the hospitality industry.

Employers, apprentices and learning providers involved in the 18-month pilot programme are being invited to the launch event, hosted by Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology Ken Skates in Cardiff on September 30.