The British Hospitality Association (BHA) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have teamed up to launch a nationwide focus on hospitality jobs this month. The ‘Hospitality Works’ initiative which will feature over 80,000 different activities up and down the country to help people choose a career in the hospitality industry. The programme aims to inspire jobseekers by promoting opportunities and vacancies in the hospitality industry and will equip work coaches with tools to promote careers like management, baristas, chefs, sales, HR, event organisation, marketing, administration and many others.
Hospitality Works will take place in more than 700 Jobcentre Plus outlets and hundreds of top hospitality businesses in January 2016 who will offer bespoke activities:
- Bourne Leisure is offering a unique opportunity to experience what makes Warner Leisure Hotels so special. Opportunity to embrace the Warner experience and see how customers are made at home from the moment they check in and hear how activities and entertainment provide an amazing holiday choice. These opportunities will be co-ordinated and supported by Jobcentre Plus staff in key locations
- Premier Inn is offering the opportunity to attend a ‘Practice Makes Perfect’ night at some of their new hotel openings. This is a night to test all of the facilities before the hotel opens, providing a great insight into Premier Inn and how they recruit and train people new to hospitality – as well as understanding the development and great career opportunities available to new recruits.
- McDonald’s will be putting together a Hospitality Works quiz and win iTunes vouchers.
- Ascott have offered Jobcentre staff to attend the Ascott UK awards dinner to showcase the successful employees within the Serviced Apartment Sector and expose them to the initiatives and teams the company produce. Staff would enjoy networking and talking to some of the staff and the things they do.
- Debenhams Café & Restaurants to hold taster session for potential job applicants.
Employment Minister Priti Patel said: “We have reached a milestone with record employment, and businesses across the country have played a key role in that. Our Jobcentre Plus staff are focused on making sure jobseekers have the skills that employers are looking for so they can take up those opportunities being created by our growing economy.
“I am delighted we are working with the British Hospitality Association through Hospitality Works to champion the exciting careers opportunities that this sector offers.”
Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive of the British Hospitality Association, says: “The BHA is delighted to be leading Hospitality Works. This is a prime example of the good that can come from collaboration between the hospitality industry and the government. With the success of this initiative we can continue to stimulate the growth of the hospitality industry, contributing to the BHA’s goal of creating 100,000 new jobs by 2020.”
Hospitality and tourism is the 4th largest industry in the UK, employing 4.49 million people that is 10% of the working population[1]. Hospitality and tourism created 1 in 5 new jobs since 2010, and it is expected to grow in the coming years.
In collaboration with members from across the country the BHA has produced Food for Thought, a media package complete with an extensive social media campaign. Food for Thought has been distributed with useful information to attract potential employees, and inform them of potential benefits of working in the hospitality industry. Facts of the day, official twitter hashtag, tweets and visual resources were created to increase social media activity around Hospitality Works and to inspire jobseekers to consider hospitality as a career. The campaign has already seen over 500 tweets with more to come as the campaign progresses.
Businesses wishing to promote careers in their organisations can host awareness sessions at their local Jobcentres, host visits for Jobcentre work coaches or hold a recruitment event at their local Jobcentre location and many other bespoke activities.
To find out more on how to get involved with Hospitality Works, please visit the BHA website or tweet using Hashtag #GetInspiredHW
[1] Backing the Future for Hospitality and Tourism Report published by the British Hospitality Association 2015