This year’s event will seek to challenge misconceptions around roles in the industry and try to explain how working in hospitality is #MoreThanAJob. Throughout the week UKHospitality will join the campaign and support it across three pillars:
- Educate – show what hospitality apprenticeships look like and highlight the diverse career pathways available (with the intention of more 16-24-year-olds recognising hospitality as a career choice).
- Engage – help showcase to younger jobseekers the exciting career opportunities open to them, resulting in more 16-24-year-olds seeing hospitality as a fruitful career choice.
- Employ – share job opportunities and encourage more people to start apprenticeships in the sector, either direct from further or higher education, or moving from a part-time role and making the decision to join full-time as an apprentice.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “Hospitality Apprenticeship Week is a fantastic way for people to learn about the wide range of roles in the sector, at a time when there are many opportunities to join our post-Covid renaissance.
“Hospitality has embraced apprenticeships as a gateway into roles as well as for upskilling its existing workforce. Anyone looking for a new job or a change of career would do well to take a look at what the sector has to offer.
“After the past 18 months, building and training our workforce will be key to the recovery. We are committed to future-proofing the sector by supporting campaigns such as this and working closely with Government to deliver the jobs recovery the economy needs.”
Pre-Covid the hospitality sector represented 10% of UK employment, 6% of businesses and 5% of GDP.
Hospitality Minister Paul Scully added: “Through our Hospitality Strategy, the Government is working hand-in-hand with the sector to help it make the most of its creative and innovative spirit as it builds back better from the pandemic.
“A hospitality apprenticeship can be the golden ticket to a great career. Hospitality Apprenticeships Week is the perfect time for both new and existing workers to explore all the opportunities the sector has to offer, and for businesses to explore all that an apprenticeship programme can do for them.”