Pub and bar companies across the country aim to create 15,000 work placements for young people in a drive to showcase the career options that are available throughout the industry.
The initiative will run throughout 2013/14 and will equip young people with foundation level qualifications and prepare them for entry into employment via an apprenticeship or as a stepping stone on a structured career path. The Perceptions Group is calling on employers to register their support for the placement programme and engage in this industry-wide initiative.
The programme enables training providers to run pre-employment academies and workshops that will offer potential candidates the opportunity to hone their employability skills prior to their application for a two-week work placement.
On-line and practical training
Over the two-week placement, candidates will be immersed in a mixture of on-line and practical training that will cover a range of modules including an introduction to the industry; team working; customer service; sales training; Food Service and Health & Safety Level 2; as well as communication and influencing; making the right first impression, and dealing with difficult situations.
Pre-employment placement delivers three qualifications
All candidates will come away from the pre-employment placement with three qualifications – Health & Safety; Food Safety, and Customer Service. These qualifications underpin the foundation level requirements for an apprenticeship which can continue to a Level 2 stage upon agreement with an employer.
Engaging big and small operators
The pre-employment programme is funded by The Hospitality Guild, the umbrella organisation that operates as a single voice for skills and professional development in hospitality, championing the industry as a career of choice and uniting the broad range of bodies responsible for skills development across the sector. Suzanne Jackson, Executive Director of the Guild said:
“This initiative aims to enable operators, big and small, to engage with thousands of unemployed young people who will have been through a pre-employment programme and will be work ready.”
The programme is fully supported on-line where guidance and support materials will be available. The www.hospitalityguild.co.uk website which goes live in March 2013, will provide an automated process that will enable employers in the pub and bar sector to select and manage candidates for the positions within their businesses.
Huge career opportunities, rapid progression
Keith Knowles, Chief Executive of Beds and Bars who has been spearheading the Perceptions Group, a collective of industry executives dedicated to raising the profile of the industry commented:
“The industry offers a huge amount of career opportunities. It is often by accident that young people realise there is a fantastic career to be had in this dynamic, innovative industry. With a million young people unemployed we are well placed to be part of the solution in offering not only jobs, but also long term careers.”
Within the pub and bar sector it is not unusual to reach the position of a supervisor at age 22, deputy manager by 24 and running a successful pub business by age 27.
“The aim of the work placement programme is to demonstrate these opportunities and encourage those talented individuals that have the drive and ambition to join us, gain the skills and experience, and help satisfy the high levels of customer service expected by consumers today and in the years ahead.”
100,000 recruits needed
It is projected that the industry will need to recruit over 100,000 people over the next 5 years.
“It is crucial that we attract people with the passion to learn and progress and to add to the dynamism of the pub and bar sector. Which it is why it is crucial that the industry unites to give young people the chance to make an informed choice to join us – for them to see we do have structured training, great career opportunities, good pay and benefits and above all, have a heap of fun. It’s two weeks commitment – time enough to change the world for somebody.”
Register your support
To be part of this career revolution, register your support via your trade or member association or email info@hospitalityguild.co.uk for more onformation.
Free registration of work placement opportunities
It is free to register work placement opportunities on the site. The pre-employment course is fully funded for candidates through funding from the Hospitality Guild which is administered by People 1st . The two week work placement foundation qualification materials will be made available on the hospitalityguild.co.uk site and will be free-of-charge. A commitment of time is required to successfully run the programme.
Timeframe
- December 2012- January 2013 initial commitment for placements and biog details.
- Website to go live by March 2013
- First workshops to be implemented March 2013
- Placements begin April 2013
The Perceptions Group
Set up to engage like minded operators that have a passion to communicate, and demonstrate, the great range of career opportunities within pubs, bars and the casual dining sector that are open to people from all walks of life. There are no boundaries and all that is required to engage with, assist and promote these opportunities is a genuine passion for the business.
The work experience programme is supported by the industry’s trade and professional associations the ALMR, BBPA, BII, All Party Parliamentary Beer Group and the Hospitality Guild.
The Hospitality Guild is the professional gateway to careers, professional development, employers and sector information across the hospitality arena. The www.hospitalityguild.com website is a portal to a wealth of information about employers, job opportunities, professional associations, training and professional development.
Advantages to operators
- access to career minded individuals without the cost of recruitment consultants
- fully funded initial training geared specifically towards our industry
- access to a database of staff looking for work who have completed the scheme and work experience
- the ability to recruit ‘shining’ individuals who come to your business on work placements
- an opportunity to work together to create a positive reflection of our industry and businesses as a big picture
- an opportunity for our industry to make effective use of government funding and show how important we are as an industry for employment opportunities, with the hope of future concessions or funding.