The importance of how apprenticeships can benefit businesses and apprentices alike has been increasing in recent years across a vast range of industries, so should the hospitality industry be looking into the idea of creating more apprenticeship schemes to keep up with other industries?
The Benefits of Apprenticeships to Businesses reports over the years’ have always highlighted the positives that businesses will gain as a result of hiring apprentices, such as the increase in productivity, available funding and future employment amongst many more, so it is clear that we need to see more apprenticeship schemes introduced.
In terms of the hospitality industry, it seems fairly clear that should these schemes be introduced more within hotels, restaurants, bars and pubs it would be of benefit to the owners of the individual businesses, so what could it bring?
It was estimated in 2013 that there was a potential of £1.4 billion extra revenue that would be generated by UK restaurants if they were to employ apprentices, whilst on top of this it was the most effective way of solving any problems a company may have with recruitment, particularly within young people.
At the end of last month there was important news as it was announced that the government’s Skills Funding Agency had approved its first ever organisation to assess trainees through the recently developed hospitality apprenticeships that have been created by employers.
Bristol-based Innovative Awarding are being labelled as the ‘apprenticeship trailblazers’ in the hospitality industry, and they will be covering a wide range of positions in the programme such as hotel receptionists, conference staff and baristas amongst many more.
“We are proud to be taking such a crucial part in this flagship initiative which will drive up standards in the industry” said Innovative Awarding managing director, John McNamara. “We are working to provide a service and experience that is ‘best in class’ for the employers and the individual apprentices.”
So will more companies follow suit following Innovative Awarding’s approval? It makes sense but only time will tell.
