Arkell's pledges to keep upskilling staff

Last year, the Wiltshire brewer helped more than 100 managed house staff develop skills in areas such as food & beverage, professional cookery, food hygiene, fire awareness and customer service.

The courses, which are both brewery and government funded and run by Malmesbury-based Mizuna Training, equip workers with the skills to turn their job into a full time career if they desire.

Employees learn on the job, rather than on a day-release at college and receive visits from Mizuna trainers who provide on-going personal assessment.

In addition, every trainee spends a day at the brewery to understand the meaning of working for a family brewer.

“Traditionally working in pubs is seen as a stop-gap in between school and a career, but quite often what starts as a casual Saturday or evening job as a waiter or waitress at 16, or behind a bar at 18, turns into a full-time career as employees really enjoy what they are doing,” director George Arkell said.

Mizuna Training director Jon Poulton added: “Most people working in hospitality are not qualified in the industry – though that doesn’t mean they haven’t got qualifications, just not specifically for the industry in which they are working.

“But a business will run better if the person running it understands the industry they are in. Productivity goes up and customers are likely to enjoy their visit more.”