A Somerset college says its hospitality apprentices are ready to help local firms take advantage of a surge in demand this summer.
The South West has always been a favourite tourist destination and hospitality has historically been one of its biggest employment sectors.
Recent global events may have reshaped the industry but many pubs, restaurants and nightclubs are reportedly seeking staff ready for the lifting of restrictions.
's director of Employer Engagement David Byford said: "We believe there's going to be a huge surge in demand as we come out of lockdown and apprenticeships are a great alternative to other training methods which can be more time-consuming and costly."
That's why the college is putting its weight behind the Hospitality, Travel & Customer Service category at the .
High-quality training
Strode College is one of the highest performing colleges in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ and the only Ofsted outstanding further education college in Mendip and Somerset.
Its hospitality services apprenticeship offers the chance to train as a chef or to get involved in food and drink production, housekeeping, front-of-house reception, or supervision and leadership.
Hospitality is an incredibly wide-ranging industry that relies on high standards of professionalism.
David explained: "We work with many local establishments - from tea rooms to award-winning fish restaurants, gastro pubs to fine dining hotels.
"We also provide high-quality training to artisan and organic food processing venues and craft bakers throughout the South and South West of England.
“We know that hospitality is all about customer service - whether this is making sure food is served on time or that a hotel room is ready to use."
Exceptional service skills
Strode College is passionate about working with employers in the hospitality sector to provide outstanding training that's individually tailored to their business needs.
David said: "Apprenticeships are a cost-effective way to recruit and train young people to meet the needs of your business. This is particularly true for small businesses which find the cost of staff overheads difficult to bear.
"Apprenticeships allow them to fill skills gaps and build a skilled workforce, by delivering training designed around business needs and building knowledge and skills for the future."
Government incentives
So whether you're hoping to become an apprentice, or want to know more about how an apprentice could support you and your business, Strode College can help.
There's certainly never been a better time to employ an apprentice, with new government incentives available of up to £4,000.
David concluded: "We know that apprenticeships deliver real returns by improving productivity, making businesses more competitive and improving staff retention.
"Apprentices also tend to be eager, motivated, flexible and loyal to the company that invests in them.
"So all our apprentices receive in-depth guidance that is totally related to their job roles, meaning they can deliver exceptional service skills wherever they choose to work."
Find out more?
Strode College offers a wide range of high-quality apprenticeship programmes across the region.
To find out how to make apprenticeships work for your business, contact the Employer Engagement Team on 01458 844508 / 07825 922233, email Murray Scott (Business Development Manager) on , or see .
Nominations for the Bristol Live & Bath Live Apprenticeship Awards close on Monday, September 13. The glittering awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 24. For more details and to nominate, see .
