Apprentices are learning the trade

By Matt Eley Matt

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Apprenticeship Neil robertson

Think 'Apprentice'' and the likelihood is the first image you will conjure up is of a bunch of desperate business types trying to impress a...

Think 'Apprentice'' and the likelihood is the first image you will conjure up is of a bunch of desperate business types trying to impress a grim-faced Lord Sugar.

And although the final of this year's reality TV show did focus on the drinks trade, the chances are it hasn't made any impact on your business.

However, according to hospitality sector skills council People 1st, taking on apprentices in your pub could have a seriously positive impact on your business. The group was heavily involved in National Apprenticeship Week earlier this month and is keen to see more pubs get involved to provide career paths for young people.

At a recent Parliamentary reception to celebrate apprentices, People 1st said it wanted to see 30,000 apprentices in training by 2020. There are currently 22,000.

Company plan

Punch Taverns launched an apprenticeship scheme last year and now has around 200 people enrolled in programmes for its managed pubs and head office.

According to the company's apprenticeship manager Nicky Scotchford, the scheme encourages people to follow a career path. "The programme gives our team players the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to development which inevitably leads to a quicker progression to team leader," she said.

"There is now a clear career pathway for Punch employees when they are ready for the next level of responsibility and accountability."

Nicky attended the Parliamentary reception with two teenagers enrolled in the scheme, Josie Walker and Fay Hargreaves. Josie, who works at the Butley Ash in Macclesfield, Cheshire, has already been promoted to team leader after starting the scheme three to four months ago. She said: "This has given me direction as I know now I am on my way up to becoming a general manager."

And Fay, of the Heath Farm in Congleton, Cheshire, added: "My aim is to be a business development manager or a training manager and by doing this I can see a clear route to that end."

You may argue, it's all well and good for a company of the scale of Punch Taverns to run a programme such as this. After all it has a managed division of 800 pubs and the infrastructure and staff to support it.

Individual option

But what about individual operators; can they really afford to dedicate valuable time to training an apprentice?

Well, yes, according to Neil Robertson, chief executive of the BII. The trade group is running a pilot scheme whereby licensees can essentially share an apprentice.

"Taking on an apprentice can be a big thing for a small venue to do," he said. "So we can provide additional support. We can run the scheme in such a way that apprentices can learn about food at one venue, and accommodation at a different place, etc."

Pubs benefit because apprentices are much more likely to show long-term commitment to the job and will be trained to a high standard, he added.

And pubs taking on apprentices could also score brownie points with the government. "It is a way of 'growing your own' and will get you a good reputation as an employer," he said. "It also shows the government that we are a sector serious about training."

And according to Ian Wilkins, head of work-based learning at CPL Training, once people are trained, 80 per cent of employers say they stay with them for longer.

"Some industries require low levels of qualifications but high skills - bar service is a highly skilled role that requires knowledge on hygiene, customer service, law and drinks service. Apprenticeships validate the skills people have and fill in the gaps in knowledge through on the job learning," he said.

So with so many apparent reasons to take on apprentices, perhaps it won't be long before licensees up and down the country will be uttering those famous words "you're hired".

• For more information visit BII​ or People 1st

Apprentice stats

Research by People 1st, which covers hospitality, travel, tourism and leisure revealed the following:

• 49 per cent said hiring apprentices made their business more competitive

• 53 per cent of businesses have found that, on average, apprentices stay up to two years within their organisation while 27 per cent stay for up to three years

• 33 per cent of respondents recoup their costs within a year and a further 20 per cent within 18 months.

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