National Skills Academy unveils plans to plug skills shortage

The National Skills Academy for Hospitality is rolling out a raft of new initiatives to help plug the industry’s skills shortage.

An advanced apprenticeship scheme with Living Ventures​, the introduction of a professional cookery diploma and chef master classes are among the activities the Academy​ is planning to run to help make it easier to fill the estimated one million posts opening up in the industry over the next year.

Bob Cotton, British Hospitality Association chief executive and chairman of the NSA for Hospitality said hospitality was one of the few industries continuing to grow and recruit in the recession, so the need for skilled staff was paramount.

“Between 750,000 and one million people are set to be recruited in the sector in the coming 12 months,” he said. “The Academy is creating national benchmarks in hospitality training so that these recruits and existing team members can take advantage of the best programmes in the industry.”

The new schemes being announced by the academy`s chief executive David McHattie today are:

New advanced apprenticeships:​ An opportunity for those without qualifications to receive on the job training to manage their own bar or restaurant. Pioneered by the Living Ventures restaurant chain, the Academy plans to make funding available for more employers to run the scheme.

Junior Chefs Academy:​ A 10-week Saturday morning college programme run by Compass giving 14 to 16-year-olds the chance to learn basic cooking skills.

Professional Cookery Diploma:​ Already offered by four colleges, the diploma has been developed to highlight the best colleges and make it easier for employers to understand qualifications.

Chef master classes:​ Offered by some of the UK`s top chefs, such as Cyrus Todiwala, they are designed for students or chefs looking to top up their skills.

McHattie told BigHospitality it was imperative that the industry had recognised benchmarks with regards to training and qualifications.

“How does the industry know what is the best qualification? How do they know who is best qualified to do the job? This accreditation is about shining a light on excellence and letting others know that," he said.

McHattie also praised Living Ventures co-founder Tim Bacon for his backing of the advanced apprenticeship scheme and said he hoped other companies would follow suit.

He said: "Tim Bacon is incredibly passionate about training and these advanced apprenticeships are an excellent way of learning about all sides of the industry from managing front of house to working in the kitchen."