Article By: Jennifer Johansson, CEO Placed App
A-level results day is a milestone moment in the UK. This year, after the chronic havoc of the pandemic and the disruption of lockdowns, A-level results day is likely to be even more emotional than usual for young people and their families.
Although there is a record number of university applications this year – 43.9% of 18-year-olds in England according to UCAS, many young people will be looking at other options.
This is where there is a huge opportunity for the hospitality sector to showcase the fantastic employment opportunities that exist for the right candidates.
Innovative Employers
As hospitality recruitment specialists, we felt the brutal effects of lockdown along with our clients. However it was also an opportunity to plan ahead and innovate for the future.
Attracting and retaining staff in hospitality has long been challenging and all of us could see that the combination of Brexit and the global pandemic was going to exacerbate the issue.
What we have been delighted to see over the past year is the way employers have worked with us to embrace new ideas and get the message out there that hospitality is a career worth pursuing.
The increasing number of apprenticeships, fast-track management schemes, mentorships and formal on the-job training programmes have sparked genuine excitement with job seekers using the Placed App.
This enthusiasm for entry level opportunities is infectious. Not only do we see a spike in applications for roles like this, but sign ups to the app go up thanks to word of mouth and social media conversations.
Being part of a conversation is a vital step when we are trying to change the message about hospitality jobs more generally.
Apprenticeships 19-year-old Georgia Inwood’s story is a great example. Georgia is a management apprentice at Pizza Hut restaurants having already succeeded as a kitchen team member. “It’s a whole different experience getting out there and working. It will build your confidence, it will give you the qualification, you’ll also earn money as well as learning.”
Charlotte Hewston, apprenticeship manager at Greene King agrees, “Within a few years, you could take that route of apprenticeships and you can be running your own multi-million pound site with employees working alongside you. So there’s real opportunity to grow and develop with us.”
Our Mission
In a recent survey by Placed App, almost 60 percent of job seekers said there is a stigma attached to working in the hospitality industry due to pay, hours and lack of prospects.
We are working hard with our clients and the sector more widely to change that view. We are also changing the way young people engage with employers, using the app instead of traditional CV applications.
They are engaging with content from employers, checking live updates on their matches and having conversations on social media with other job seekers.
They are reading our interview tips and informative blog content but also sharing it and discussing it amongst themselves.
With an anticipated spike in app users from school leavers this summer, we must seize this opportunity to spread the conversation about hospitality careers.
By creating a buzz around the opportunities, we can work towards solving the staffing crisis in our sector.