This entry won the 2012 Peer Awards, and was shortlisted in the “Employment Awareness for the Community” category
ref: 12-025
Creating Future Stars of Hospitality
how to train apprentices and get sustained employment for them
Overview
As an innovative leader in our industry we found that we needed to support Hospitality and strengthen the sector as a career choice. Our aim is to train 10,000 potential stars over a three year period to fill the gap in our industry of under qualified, valued, trained staff. The reason is to ensure the future of Great British Hospitality.
Impact
With 10 Academies across England we are making a significant impact in reducing the NEET population in some of the most deprived areas of the country while providing partners with motivated, trained and reliable staff. With the support provided by industry experts, young people are given the chance to shine. We have so far trained around 4,700 Apprentices to date with 72% completing their Apprenticeship and going on to sustainable employment with De Vere or an industry partner.
Innovation
The De Vere Group employs all apprentices for the first twelve weeks to give them identity and a family feeling that we are all in this together. We ensure their learning and social needs are met in vibrant classrooms and kitchens giving the right inspiration and support to succeed. The Apprenticeship will last between 12 and 18 months and our occupationally trained staff are there every step of the way enabling a high completion rate of the Apprenticeships. Their employment at week 13 would continue with ourselves or a partner who wishes to continue the learning of the individual.[/one_half_last]
Insight
When we realised the idea we thought we would have one Academy but we were wrong. The support from local authorities, leading government figures and the Sector Skills Council as well as the National Apprenticeship Service and the Skills Funding Agency has snow balled our growth. We are opening our next Academy in Brighton in the summer of 2012 to support the growing Hospitality on the south coast with the ever increasing need of inspiration for young people entering the industry.
Inspiration
We look at some of our first Apprentices flying in the industry now and we give them a platform to return to the Academies to inspire others. Some of our successes have seen our Apprentices achieve great things with what some would think are our competitors. Having an ex apprentice win employee of the year in a rival brand shows we as an industry are here to continue Great British Hospitality. The impact on our business has been supported too by ensuring our own brand is supplied with Apprentices that are seeing, talking and breathing Hospitality.[/one_half_last]
The Speaker
Kellie Rixon, Managing Director.