We are back and ready to talk everything hospitality careers!
Last week was Hospitality Apprenticeship Week, where the industry recognised and celebrated all the individuals undertaking hospitality apprenticeships and highlighted the wide range of careers available. The week also tackled the misconceptions around careers in hospitality, illustrating how a job within the industry can be #MoreThanAJob and not just short-term work.
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of Hospitality UK, said: “Initiatives such as this are incredibly important in shifting the level of understanding around what working in our amazing sector actually means and to show people the career opportunities that it presents. Ours is a creative, vibrant and fun sector in which people can go from bar to board in a very short timeframe.”
Apprenticeships offer a combination of security, training and career development. There are opportunities spanning across entire businesses in a number of different roles, from head office to customer-facing, there is so much to explore.
To find out a bit more information on apprenticeships in hospitality and to give anyone who is considering an apprenticeship an insight into what can be expected, we recently spoke with Sophie Leahy who has just completed her Level 4 PR Assistant Apprenticeship.
What made you decide to do an apprenticeship?
“I wanted to do an apprenticeship as it is a good way to develop my current skills, which I use in my communications role as well as develop new skills which are transferable. I also wanted to explore a new area of communications, which was PR and understand how it is incorporated into my current work.”
What was the apprenticeship like and what did it involve?
“My apprenticeship consisted of different modules, which I worked through over 18 months. All the modules had tasks to complete, which were online courses. At the end of my apprenticeship, I had to complete an End Point Assessment (EPA), which collated all my learning and assessed my skills and behaviours developed throughout the apprenticeship. I also had monthly catch-ups with my mentor throughout who not only supported me through my learning but allowed me to learn from their expertise.”
What did you learn from it?
“By completing my apprenticeship, I was able to learn the theory of PR and communications, which included learning about academic models and putting them into practice, as well as understanding why we do what we do. I was also able to learn the background of PR and how it is carried out within the hospitality industry.”
What are your aspirations following the apprenticeship?
“Having learnt the world of PR and how this relates to my current role and communications roles across the hospitality industry, I can now look to progress within my communications career.”
Would you recommend an apprenticeship to those considering working in hospitality?
“I would definitely recommend an apprenticeship to anyone who is looking to start their career in the hospitality industry or those already pursuing their hospitality career and looking to further their skills. There are so many apprenticeship opportunities available in the industry, there is a path for everyone to explore.”
If you are thinking about an apprenticeship in hospitality, there are so many avenues for you to take and hospitality does not just have to be a job…it can be your career!
To find out further information about hospitality apprenticeships, check out the below
HITT Training – https://hittraining.co.uk/
Umbrella Training – https://www.umbrellatraining.co.uk/
Apprenticeships website – https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
Lifetime Training https://lifetimetraining.co.uk/
Published by