The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has announced that the hospitality trailblazer, led by Hilton Worldwide and managed by People 1st, will continue to develop standards in phase 3 of the government’s apprenticeship reforms.
Pathway for apprentices
The trailblazer has already achieved ministerial approval in the summer for two senior chef standards one in culinary arts and one in production cooking, and will now establish a clear career pathway for apprentices entering and progressing within the hospitality industry. The new development will include three standards for a commis chef, chef de partie and hospitality team member.
Skills Minister Nick Boles said: “I congratulate the hospitality trailblazer, supported by People 1st for the key role it is playing in developing new top-quality apprenticeships. Through the trailblazers initiative companies like Spirit Pub Company, Compass Group, McDonald’s UK, Lancaster London, Whitbread, Mitchells and Butlers, KFC UKI, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, in collaboration with their industry partners, will give people the skills they need to thrive and our businesses need to compete.”
Employer driven
Annette Allmark, director of strategic policy at People 1st, who has been working with the hospitality trailblazer since day one, said that it was excellent news for employers: “The standards are employer driven and provide the industry with a fantastic opportunity to engage, train and develop highly skilled apprentices. With industry turnover of staff currently standing at 20% and costing the industry £274 million it is vital that we address this issue, so the trailblazer’s work is invaluable to the industry.”
One group that has taken the matter seriously and is committed to expanding their apprenticeship intake under the new system is the hospitality trailblazer, SME consortium led by Lancaster Hotel. This group of hotels and other hospitality SMEs represents employers that must ensure the new programme fits into their business models and can be managed without resources dedicated solely to apprenticeships.
Sally Beck, general manager, Lancaster Hotel who is a passionate advocate of apprenticeships, stresses how important it is for the voice of SMEs to be heard. “Our group of employers is determined to make apprenticeships an effective tool to recruit and train staff, so we are fully committed to the work of the trailblazer.”
The hospitality trailblazer also continues to work on defining standards for supervisors and managers, and is in communication with BIS to ensure they effectively reflect the people skills that are so critical to the industry.
The approved standards and those still under development are now available on the People 1st website here