New project to help hospitality staff careers soar!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New project to help hospitality staff careers soar!
The NCTA is working on a new project with six Bournemouth hotels to improve the careers of staff in the hospitality industry.
Having won joint funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) and the Department for Work and Pensions, the Academy has employed a human resources expert to work with six hotels to fast-track staff off the minimum wage and encourage longer service.
Working with The Norfolk Royale, The Cumberland, The Green House, The Marsham Court, The Royal Exeter and The Sandbanks hotels, the consultant will develop bespoke induction courses and a programme for staff progression to help further the careers of entry-level employees. The programme will help improve recruitment, induction and employee engagement with the business.
“The NCTA is thrilled to be part of the new UK Futures Programme. Lack of skilled hospitality staff is a problem throughout the industry. This project tackles the issues of high staff turnover and low wages head-on,” says Samantha Richardson, director of the NCTA.
“By working closely with a number of Bournemouth hotels supporting them to deliver engagement programmes, analysing their induction processes and training, we aim to monitor the trajectory of staff on the minimum wage to encourage career growth and staff retention.
“Motivated staff with solid support are more likely to stay longer, be more inspired and feel more passionately about their job, which in turn leads to greater repeat business. Understanding how to develop careers even in a seasonal environment will have an impact on the industry nationwide.
“If we can accelerate the careers of staff at entry level successfully, this project has the potential to help plug the widening gap in skills shortages.”
Between them, the retail and hospitality industries provide 6.9m jobs, a fifth of the country’s employment. And both sectors are forecast to grow, however staff turnover rates are high and induction is costly which often leads to cuts in development training and progression for existing staff. Pressure on the remaining staff can lead to low motivation and lost sales.
“The hospitality industry suffers from an image of long hours with little reward, but there are enormous opportunities for progression,” says Rosie Wallace director at The Marsham Court Hotel.
“We’ve had staff join us at entry level who have gone on to become managers. Our Duty Manager Andy Thompson, for example, originally came as a work placement student from Bournemouth University and has worked with us for years.
“Staff are our most important resource, so we’re delighted to be part of this project and increase our training and staff engagement.”
The 18-month project will be disseminated nationally when it’s finished.
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To see the UKCES and DWP press release, click below:
The National Coastal Tourism Academy is a Coastal Communities Fund project that analyses the nature of coastal tourism to help boost jobs and the coastal tourism economy. It works with academia and the tourism industry to bridge gaps in research, visitor experience, training and skills. Having worked initially in Bournemouth in partnership with Bournemouth University and the local tourism industry, the NCTA is now working with coastal resorts nationally.
To see the NCTA’s work, visit its Resource Hub:
Click here to visit the Resource Hub
For further media information, please contact Sheron Crossman, Marketing and Communications Manager, Sheron.crossman@coastaltourismacademy.co.uk or tel: 01202 962565.
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