Inspiring the next generation of hospitality leaders
30 Apr 2014 10:41 AM
Tourism Minister:
“hospitality apprenticeships is a win win situation for both young people
and business”
Minister for Tourism, Helen
Grant visited House of Saint
Barnabus in Soho to highlight the contribution the hospitality sector
is making to economic growth and how it is generating jobs and apprenticeships
for young people.
The visit was arranged by
the British Hospitality
Association(BHA), at a venue that works with food outlet and restaurant
group Benugos to help get London’s homeless people back into work through
their employment academy. During the visit the Minister met apprentices working
in the hospitality sector, before engaging with industry bosses to discuss the
potential for further growth and the BHA’s Big Hospitality Conversation
initiative.
The Big Hospitality Conversation
is the industry’s flagship campaign to inspire the next generation
through job creation, apprenticeships and work placements. It focuses on the
thousands of young people who are looking for work, in partnership with
Business in the Community, Springboard and leading hospitality businesses. So
far it has hosted 10 events across the UK, generating 36,000 new job
opportunities.
Those involved in the discussion
included; Patrick Dempsey, Managing Director of Whitbread Hotels &
Restaurants, Thomas Dubaere, Managing Director of Accor UK & Ireland and
Ufi Ibrahim, the CEO at the British Hospitality Association.
Following the visit, Helen Grant
commented:
Working in the tourism and
hospitality sector can offer a rewarding, challenging and fulfilling career and
the British Hospitality Association’s Big Conversation initiative is
playing a part in highlighting the opportunities available to young people. The
apprentices I have met at the House of Saint Barnabus have shown tremendous
enthusiasm and it has been encouraging to hear the importance industry leaders
are placing on this scheme making it a win win situation for both young people
and those businesses involved.
Ufi Ibrahim, BHA chief executive
officer said:
The Minister has shown that she
understands the economic importance of hospitality and its special role in
generating jobs for young people. Indeed, the success of Hospitality and
Tourism businesses relies on their ability to serve others. As Bill Marriott
once said, we must serve our people, who will in turn serve others. This event
has turned the spotlight on the way in a which the Big Hospitality Conversation
has been changing young people’s lives, one apprenticeship, one job or
one work experience at a time, and thereby transforming local communities, the
national economy and the UK – as a nation.
Thomas Dubaere, Managing
Director, Accor UK and Ireland said:
We are keen to highlight the
vast opportunities that hospitality has to offer young people in the UK. We
have welcomed the chance to discuss this with the Minister and hope we have
been able to show the real difference that hospitality can make to unemployment
through apprenticeships, structured work placements and job
creation.
Patrick Dempsey OBE, MD
Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants said:
Hospitality is a vibrant growing
industry with a lot to offer. At Premier Inn we are committed to getting young
people into work and giving them the opportunities they deserve to develop
their skills and build their careers. Premier Inn is a huge supporter of
‘The Big Hospitality Conversation’ and we’ve pledged to
create 8,000 jobs, 2,000 apprenticeships and 4,500 work placements by
2018.
There is a huge pool of talent
in the 16-24 age group and we are committed to helping raise awareness amongst
the 1 million young people that are unemployed, not in education or training,
offering significant opportunities for them to join and develop their careers
within the hospitality industry. We will train young people, provide them with
qualifications and long term prospects within a sustainable and thriving
industry.
Further
information
Ufi Ibrahim, the British
Hospitality Association CEO, blogs about how the hospitality and tourism sector is changing
young people’s lives
British
Hospitality Association