Coventry College’s recruitment lifeline to hotels and restaurants

Hotels and restaurants across Coventry and Warwickshire that are facing a looming recruitment crisis because of the UK’s new immigration system are being given a lifeline by @CoventryCollege. 

From January next year overseas workers – who make up a significant proportion of hospitality roles in the UK – will have to pass a points-based test to be able to work in the UK, meaning that the pool of workers for roles in hotels and restaurants is set to shrink.

To help businesses tackle the potential issue head-on, Coventry College is hosting a breakfast event for hospitality and catering employers at their Henley Road campus on Friday 20 March between 9am and 11am.

The session will connect employers with potential recruitment talent pools for cooking and front-of-house roles, as well as informing them about potential funding for employing an apprentice.

Emma Ingram, Head of Employer Engagement and Sales at Coventry College, said:

“This is the type of event that will ultimately help some hotels and restaurants to stay open for business in the long-term.

“A lot of hospitality businesses currently rely on hardworking overseas personnel, but that talent pool is set to diminish considerably – meaning that hotels and restaurants will have to develop home-grown talent, perhaps with higher wages, to maintain and grow their profit, or face having to close.

“This dilemma is why we are urging businesses to act now rather than waiting to see how they fare later down the line.

“School leavers are fertile ground for the industry, and the onus is now on employers to work with the College to not only gain access to the secondary schools and wider talent pool that we have access to, but to also sell the benefits of working in an industry that offers a clear pathway into senior roles that pay well and offer variety.

“An apprentice that has been given an employment opportunity and upskilled is much more likely to remain loyal to the firm that they are working for – so for hotels and restaurants, recruiting apprentices should be seen as future proofing their business for the long-term.

“The thought of huge costs can often be a barrier for some businesses taking on apprentices – particularly with margins being tight – but actually the majority of the costs, such as college-based, are funded by the apprenticeship levy. It’s misconceptions such as this that we are also hoping to banish on the day.”