The hospitality industry is in crisis.
More than 40% of hospitality businesses are experiencing skilled worker shortages and the situation is likely to worsen, with experts predicting that employers will be unable to fill 13-14 million graduate-level hospitality jobs over the next five years.
The industry is taking action, but there’s more we can do. To understand what’s preventing young people from considering a career in hospitality, we spoke to young people, young professionals and influencers from across the industry.
They revealed that:
The message is clear: we need to take action early. We need to educate young people at secondary level, if we’re to turn back the tide towards hospitality.
Read the full report here.
Together we’re stronger
We’ve joined forces with Nestlé Professional and Choose Hospitality, and we’ve galvanised leading hospitality organisations across the UK. The resulting network, ‘Choose Hospitality Pledge’, will work with secondary schools to provide activities, presentations and materials to pupils, explaining the industry’s varied jobs and progression opportunities.
Why we need you…
The voice of industry professionals is incredibly powerful and influential among young people. In fact, more than 1 in 4 seek advice from professionals working in the industry, valuing their advice above that of their teacher or careers advisor.
To engage these, we’re seeking motivated ambassadors who’ve carved out a career in the industry and who want to become a mouthpiece for the industry, inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps.
Business leaders including Whitbread, Sodexo and Manchester Hotels Group have already pledged support. These will be raising awareness of the pledge, providing rising industry superstars to send out to schools. But although the industry is getting involved, it’s crucial that we find more ambassadors, and that’s why we’re asking you to get involved.
Interested?
Join the Choose Hospitality Pledge as an Ambassador and you’ll get toolkits, resources, ideas and more to help you reach out to secondary schools in your area.
Individual or business, your support will be invaluable. Helping young people find rewarding careers while creating the enthusiasm and energy we need to keep this exciting sector vibrant and dynamic.
Insight Report – Opening Doors: Hospitality Opportunities Unlocked
To understand why the hospitality sector finds it particularly hard to recruit talent, Nestlé Professional conducted research with MMR with over 300 young jobseekers, young hospitality professionals and industry influencers across the UK.
The research revealed that negative perceptions from young job seekers are fuelled by insufficient information and a lack of ambassadors they can relate to. Whereas 62% of the young people who are already working in hospitality say they love their role.
The new insight report – Opening Doors: Improving hospitality career perceptions among young people – gives an overview of the research with industry comment.
Download the report here.
