BLOG: Inspiring Future Talent to Enter the Hospitality Industry
Despite the devastated effects from the pandemic on the industry, local hospitality employers in Weston have been inspiring students who have embarked on hospitality careers training during the pandemic.
The learner experience has been slightly different, with lockdowns restricting work placements, and students learning online, our hospitality employer network have thought outside the box to ensure the passion is alive for working in the kitchen. Employers have delivered online masterclasses and also worked with small groups in kitchens, to demonstrate their skills, and knowledge, but also show the expectations of working in hospitality.
Employers have included the Ginger Pig kitchen and Puxton Park, who now endorse the Weston College Hospitality curriculum as a pipeline of exciting new talent. Both were vital in getting the excitement for hospitality in the classroom during a challenging time.
James and Dave at the Ginger Pig kitchen hosted two evenings of socially-distanced demonstration, which really sparked the interest of our learners, who developed new skills on the back of the demonstration. There was also an engaging Q&A, where they told the story of their unique career journey, their passion for creativity and the need for them to seek and nurture new talent for the future of their business.
This was closely followed by the team from Puxton Park who hosted a Farm to Fork information event, highlighting the journeys of our food and options to other careers within hospitality not only linked directly to the kitchen but that of butchery, team leading for events and supervisor roles within the catering sector. There really is lots of options which you can check out here and we love to give careers advice linked to this exciting industry.
When you are in the hospitality industry, you make a difference in people’s lives, as the business is all about creating memorable experiences for customers. Whether you are driving a golf cart, cleaning rooms, cooking a tasty meal, carrying suitcases for new arrivals to a hotel, or involved in management, you are in a position to make somebody’s day. A smile, a helping hand, that little detail. It is all about making people happy. It is a global industry and our learners can discover new countries, new culture and new people. Even if our learners don’t plan to work outside of the UK, they are most likely in touch with travellers from all over the world and through guest interactions, they will learn about different cultures every day.
We also recognise that working in hospitality is not a 9 to 5 job and that is a good thing. If you are the sort of person who likes getting up at the same time in the morning, having the same breakfast, and then delivering their daily routine, then hospitality probably isn’t for you! It involves a great deal of variety, not only in terms of the hours they work, but also the work they do during those hours.
Individuals who make the decision to pursue a career in hospitality often do so for a variety of reasons. Common denominators among those who are successful in the hospitality industry have the ability to be empathetic, creative and passionate about what they are doing. Those who are most successful in the industry are those who have a genuine desire to provide outstanding service and see their guests satisfied.
Sandra Bull, Dean Of Study: Service Sectors, Early Years , Education and Counselling
