More than 400 jobs in the hospitality industry were created for young people in Kent. The jobs pledge was announced at the 37th Big Hospitality Conversation event, which was held in Ashford, Kent and was organised by the Springboard charity as part of a national campaign.
The Big Hospitality Conversation aims to tackle youth unemployment as part of the British Hospitality Association’s hope for 100,000 new jobs in the hospitality & tourism sector by 2020, says a report in The Caterer.
The event in Kent was held at the Ashford International Q Hotel, with Q Hotels pledging 300 work experience places. Top companies taking part included Costa Coffee, Compass Group, Shepherd Neame Brewery, Whitbread Restaurants and Yo! Sushi.
One in 10 workers are employed in the tourism & hospitality sector, which offers a wide range of careers for people of all ages, qualifications and skills, says the British Hospitality Association. This is a huge process from inviting the candidates in, to them sitting one of the Reception Chairs in the waiting room, to then having their interview and then being told if they have the job or not.
Good news for the economy
This is the fourth-largest employment sector in the UK and is one of the fastest growing. In Kent alone, it contributes £3.4bn to the local economy and supports 67,000 jobs.
The tourism & hospitality sector provides a wide range of jobs in businesses such as hotels, pubs, restaurants, theme parks and entertainment venues. It is an exciting industry to be in.
Be your own boss
Having learnt the trade, there is also an opportunity to set up your own hospitality business and be your own boss; for example, you could open your own cafe, bar, restaurant, B&B or bespoke hotel.
You would need to look at all aspects of the business, from keeping the accounts to training staff and implementing strict hygiene standards. In the catering trade, kitchens need to be spotless in addition to making sure personal hygiene standards are high. Raw food, especially meat and fish, needs to be kept away from cooked foods to avoid contamination or food poisoning.
You will also need equipment such as cookers, work surfaces, freezers and commercial refrigeration.
If you have pitched your business well, you will be rewarded with an interesting job that you enjoy. Now is certainly a good time to get into the hospitality & tourism sector with so many jobs on offer in the UK.