A campaign has been launched to combat the recruitment problems being faced by tourism, retail and hospitality businesses in Plymouth.
Destination Plymouth’s new Geddon in Tourism campaign showcases the wide range of opportunities within the sector. It features a number of familiar faces from businesses across the city, including chefs Mitch Tonks and Chris Tanner, sharing how they got started in the business, became successful celebrities and the skills they have developed.
With businesses struggling to recruit staff and facing an increase in custom now the summer season is underway, there’s high demand for people to fill vacancies across the sector.
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Visitor attractions across the region have struggled to recruit workers as many in tourism and hospitality have moved away from the sector in favour of other work opportunities, while others have been forced to self-isolate due to the “pingdemic”.
In Plymouth, a huge variety of roles are unfilled, from chefs to customer service staff as well as wider support roles including marketing, security, operations and finance.
Amanda Lumley, executive director of Destination Plymouth, said, “Plymouth tourism, retail and hospitality businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic, and with the influx of tourists expected throughout the summer this campaign is designed to help them put their best foot forward.
“Across the country tourism and hospitality businesses are struggling to recruit, and with a high volume of fantastic opportunities here in Plymouth our campaign hopes to help shine a light on the career paths available.
“Our campaign focuses on how people working in the industry got to where they are now, how to get started in the industry and the key skills that tourism and hospitality jobs can help develop, to support further career aspirations.
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“There are great opportunities for those with ambition not just to refine their skill set but to fast track rapidly through supervisor to manager level roles if they have the aptitude.”
The campaign will include a virtual jobs fair on Facebook where businesses can share current vacancies with jobseekers. There’s also information on the Visit Plymouth website about courses and further training available within the tourism and hospitality sector, to help Plymouth residents get ahead.
Cllr Mark Deacon, cabinet member for customer services, culture, leisure and sport at Plymouth City Council, said: “The past year has been incredibly difficult for local businesses and the challenges continue now that they’re reopened, with staff shortages causing problems across the sector.
“We hope this campaign will encourage people across Plymouth to see the potential in a career in tourism and will guide them in the right direction, whether that is towards training opportunities or current job vacancies.”
Plymouth’s campaign is launched as Cornwall’s top tourist attractions are continuing to face an ongoing staffing crisis with some operating with half the number of their usual workforce.
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Cornwall is also facing one of the busiest summers on record, thanks to the staycation boom - yet recruitment remains a challenge for visitor attractions large and small. Catering roles are proving one of the hardest areas to fill at present, though the issue is prevalent throughout all areas of visitor attraction operation.
Despite generous salaries and signing-on bonuses available in some areas, recruitment remains a problematic issue, Cornwall Association of Tourist Attractions (CATA) reports. It says attractions will have to work closely with current staff to ensure they are well looked after during a summer that will see them working hard to meet customer needs.