The hospitality industry needs an image overhaul |
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| Written by Nick Scade | |||||
| Friday, 29 August 2008 | |||||
Hospitality is a great industry to work in - it's people-based, fast-moving and offers employees the chance to progress quickly. But the reputation of the sector as a career choice must improve in order to tackle the skills shortage it's suffering from - and the industry needs to work harder at promoting itself to young people. Part of the solution has to be about investing in staff and improving the retention level of employees through training, particularly those in front-of-house roles. Front-of-house personnel are our ambassadors. More effective training will not only give them the additional skills they need to perform their jobs better, but will improve their loyalty to their employer and the industry. Unlike other European countries, the UK lacks a government-recognised craft-based training course. In other countries recruits attend hospitality school for up to three years before they even speak to a customer - in the UK they go straight out on to the restaurant floor. Training must focus more on the craft and customer focus skills that are so crucial to good service. The 2012 London Olympic Games will put the spotlight on the capital with thousands of visitors and journalists sampling the capital's hotels and restaurants. The sector needs to be ready for this, with enough well-trained, front-of-house people to cope. Nick Scade is chief executive of the Academy of Food & Wine Related Articles
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Miss L williams
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I felt strongly about commenting on the article above regarding the hospitality sector and its need for "an image overhaul!" I am a graduate who has chosen to work in the hopspitality trade for the last ten years as I am pa*sionate about not only excellent food and wine, but also the service that we give and the enjoyment I get from customer satisfaction. I completely agree that employers should invest in staff and training is a good way of doing this, but surely investment should mean that people like myself who take so much pride in the job at hand should be paid accordingly. Hospitality is not seen in this country as a career choice as SOME people do not repect the job at hand.....people now look at service as much as they do the food, so therefore we should be respected for what we bring to the restaurant experience itself! Although training can a*sist the way we deal with customers and we need to learn more proffessional means of serviing the customer (e.g WSET course to enable us to pa*s on more knowledge about wine to the customer..transferable skills etc!), it is the combination of employing people with natural people skills with on the floor training.. and the most important factor...pa*sion for the job and customers. I am lucky enough to work for a large chain company and recieve all of the tips that i deserve to earn and for this reason I am not in the management side of the job. All I am saying is show us the respect we deserve for the job and also "Show us the money". Then not only can we promote how thoroughly enjoyable the hospitality trade is to work in to young people, but also how well paid and respected it is too. Thanks, Miss L williams |
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