Hospitality and catering courses added to Lifetime Skills Guarantee
Fully-funded further education courses covering sectors including construction, IT and public services have been available to adults without a full level 3 qualification – equivalent to two A-levels – since April 2021 under the Lifetime Skills Guarantee.
Hospitality and catering, however, was among the sectors initially left off the list because it was deemed to be a low priority with low wages.
However, lobbying from groups including the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has led to the list being updated with 12 courses in the hospitality and catering industry.
They include nine of the courses are offered by awarding body City and Guilds; two from VTCT; and one from Pearson.
The BBPA had campaigned for the inclusion of hospitality and catering qualifications – used in a range of pub roles, from those in the kitchen to front of house – when the Lifetime Skills Guarantee was first announced.
It says the move will help the pub sector as it recovers from Covid-19 to help the UK build back better.
“Having campaigned hard for it, we are delighted to see the inclusion of hospitality and catering qualifications in the Lifetime Skills Guarantee," says Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA.
“As restrictions are removed on pubs and they begin their road to recovery, we know they have a vital role to play in helping the communities they serve build back better. The inclusion of hospitality and catering qualifications in the Lifetime Skills Guarantee is a great first step for this.
“Our pubs are on the search for new talent to nurture and develop. People using the Lifetime Skills Guarantee for a hospitality or catering qualification will have the opportunity to work in a sunrise industry and begin a rewarding and fulfilling career that can see them rise very quickly to running their own pub.
“For existing talent in our pubs, the inclusion of these new qualifications will help enable them to upskill as part of their career development.”
