Future Inns Plymouth has been named employer of the year in a campaign launched by Prime Minister David Cameron to help disabled workers.
The hotel won the award scheme organised by the Disability Confident Campaign which encourages employers to be positive about the skills that disabled people bring to business.
The hotel won Plymouth Disability Confident’s ‘Employer of the Year’ award for its commitment to employing and giving work experience opportunities to people with disabilities.
The event in Plymouth was hosted by social enterprise Pluss, a national partner in the campaign which is working closely with the Minister for Disabled People to bring the campaign to local areas.
Pluss works with over 2,000 employers nationally and 600 across Plymouth and west Devon to support people with disabilities find employment. In the last year, the 143-room Future Inns in Plymouth has hosted 12 work experience placements and employed eight people with disabilities through its work with Pluss.
Janice Carpenter, General Manager at Future Inns Plymouth, said: “We’re very proud to be named Employer of the Year. From our work with Pluss, we have been lucky enough to find eight fantastic and enthusiastic members of staff, who have already made a real difference to our business. We have also met some brilliant people with lots of potential through the work experience scheme we run with Pluss.”
Future Inns piloted Pluss’ Skills for Work Programme – a 4-8 week work experience placement which sees participants take part training and mock interviews with Future Inns staff in different parts of the business.
Geraldine Scott-Smith, PR Officer from Pluss Plymouth said: “Future Inns has been very supportive and has demonstrated an amazing commitment to Pluss and our goals. By making simple adjustments to its recruitment process, such as letting people demonstrate their skills first-hand rather than having to endure a stressful formal interview, Future Inns has offered life-changing employment opportunities to many people.”
The hotel also works with Tellus Group to support EU work experience students. Hundreds of students have had placements at the hotel over several years and Future Inns Plymouth’s recent placement group was named Stars of the Week by the group.