Hospitality Industry Confronts Acute Skills Shortage

Acute skills shortages in the Northern Ireland hospitality sector have prompted an innovative partnership between industry and the education sector to tackle the problem.

The Holiday Inn, Belfast has become the adoptive employer for the Girls Model School Belfast. GNVQ students from the school will follow an intensive work placement at the hotel for ten months covering all aspects of hotel life from housekeeping to accounts.

The partnership aims to create awareness and educate young people about what a job in the hospitality industry involves.

Alistair Risk, Hotel Manager at the Holiday Inn, said: “Across Northern Ireland a successful and ambitious hospitality industry is struggling to the find the skilled and interested staff they need to drive and manage business growth. The current approach of quick fix employment is not going to be sustainable in the longer term. We must educate and train young people and job seekers if we are to combat shortages in the hospitality industry and stay ahead of our game.

"Our partnership with the Girls Model School aims to raise awareness about what a career in hospitality can offer and encourage more young people to consider a future in the industry. We are looking forward to welcoming the students into the hotel and hope they have a productive year.”

As well as gaining practical hotel experience the students will be taught interviewing and presentation skills through out the year. The Holiday Inn Belfast want to extend this programme to include other schools and colleges in the Belfast area.

(SP)