People 1st launches new apprenticeship campaign

By Liam Garrahan

- Last updated on GMT

People 1st launches new apprenticeship campaign

Related tags Apprenticeship

Workforce development charity, People 1st, has launched a new campaign to help hospitality companies understand and prepare for 2016’s apprenticeship shake-up, while benefiting from greater staff retention and profitability.

The charity works in partnership with employers and helps them decide on what apprenticeships to offer and to understand the Government’s plans for apprenticeships and the impact that they have on business.

With the hospitality and tourism industries needing a combined 229k skilled and managerial staff by 2022, People 1st is supporting trailblazer employers’ seven new hospitality apprenticeship standards to be more robust, clearly defined and fit for purpose.

Simon Tarr, chief executive of People 1st, says that the charity’s role is to guide companies through new legislation and to show them the benefits that apprenticeships can offer.

“Research indicates that 80 per cent of companies that invest in apprentices report an increase in staff retention, but that’s just the beginning – there is also compelling evidence that progressing your brightest and best talent can significantly boost the bottom line;  typically an apprentice working in hospitality contributes up to an impressive £5,200,” he said.

“Across the industry we are faced with a number of challenges, not least a £274m annual retention bill and a dearth of managerial staff. Apprenticeships provide an excellent solution to this challenge and we encourage organisations to utilise the new standards to help them tackle retention.”

Works for businesses big or small

Whitbread has reported that one third of their level two apprentices move into a management within two years and that turnover of these apprentices is 45 per cent less than the businesses’ average.

Sandra Kelly, Whitbread’s head of education, said: “It is clear from these figures that apprenticeships provide real benefits to both the business and the individual employees. We’re excited to be a part of the new standards, which will help boost retention even further.”

Smaller companies are also reaping the benefits of the new apprenticeship model. Bristol tapas restaurant, Bravas, recently took on two apprentices, a decision that the company’s Imogen Whaite describes as one of the best business decisions they have made.

“We first heard about the apprenticeship scheme through our local college and spoke to People 1st to see which scheme was right for us. The opportunity sounded like one we couldn’t pass up so we decided to give it a go. It’s one of the smartest business decisions we’ve made. The experience has been overwhelmingly positive and we would definitely recommend apprenticeships to other small businesses,” she said.

For more information on how apprenticeships can benefit your business, view People 1st’s animated infographic here​.

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