Ei expands school leavers scheme

The programme, Pub Pros, seeks to inform teenagers in their final year at secondary school on the positives of a career in the industry.

Twelve organisations will be involved in the scheme’s second year, and pubs involved span from Hull to Exeter.

The scheme is run by education enrichment organisation, Stride Learning, which has also been working with the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) to develop young people’s skills for the sector.

School pupils will take part in a series of three half-day workshops including a meet-the-publican session and an in-pub taster day later this year.

Ei Group commercial director Paul Harbottle said he was confident the programme would challenge perceptions about working in a pub and inspire young people to see the sector as containing opportunities for strong careers.

He continued: “By partnering even more of our Ei Publican Partnerships’ estate with local schools, we’re delighted to be giving a greater number of pupils the opportunity to meet first-class publicans and explore the sector, by experiencing our fast-paced and social businesses.

“We hope that this will inspire our next generation to add our sector to their career choices and future-proof the industry.”

BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds added: “People are the heart of the pub and raising the reputation of our sector, which offers such an exciting career, is vital. Ei Group pioneered work with Stride, which is a great example of partnership work at a local level and it is good to see this continue.”

A report​ found that many young people simply view the hospitality sector as a stop-gap trade and concluded schools needed to increase access to those representing the industry last year.