Five of the UK’s biggest hospitality powerhouses boasting a combined UK workforce of more than 110,000, are uniting to change perceptions of the industry and encourage more young people to consider a career in hospitality.
This autumn, Nestlé Professional, Compass, Sodexo, Elior and Punch Pubs along with UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls and esteemed hospitality charity Springboard will take part in a series of nationwide Choose Hospitality school visits, aimed at reshaping perceptions of the hospitality sector and igniting a passion for hospitality careers among young people. Together, they aim to breathe new life into a struggling sector by inspiring the next generation of talent.
The driving force behind this collaboration is the Choose Hospitality Pledge.
Explaining why the Pledge was set up, Nestlé Professional Managing Director, Katya Simmons, said:
“After conducting nationwide research into young people’s attitudes towards careers in hospitality1, we have co-founded the Choose Hospitality Pledge – an industry-wide campaign aimed at challenging negative stereotypes and making careers visible and appealing to school leavers.
“Young people need greater visibility of the real breadth of exciting career opportunities in hospitality, as well as the fast progression they can make within the industry. To accomplish this, the Pledge is rallying hospitality professionals to sign up as ambassadors and promote the industry to young people.”
Supporting the pledge, UKHospitality Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls OBE, said:
“As the third largest private sector employer in the UK, it’s essential that we shine a light on the fantastic career opportunities that hospitality can provide, and education plays a key role in attracting the next generation of British talent. While only 10% of jobs in hospitality are currently recognised by the UK government as skilled, our industry is filled with highly trained and motivated professionals, and more roles need to be recognised to ensure we continue to attract young workers to the hugely rewarding careers on offer and bring in the skills that we need.”
During the sessions, schools across the nation will get an introduction to hospitality and its various careers through a variety of activities including quizzes, group tasks and videos. Designed to be fun and engaging, the sessions will provide students with a true sense of hospitality’s diverse career pathways, rapid advancement opportunities and the competitive salaries on offer.
For more information about Nestlé Professional, click here. To sign up to a school visit, click here.
1 Huxley MMR research for Nestlé Professional; qualitative research with young people and industry experts and quantitative sample with young people.