Published: 27/07/2021
COPELAND Council is on the lookout for tourism and hospitality businesses who would like to help create and employ tailor-made talent.
The Copeland Work and Skills Partnership, led by Copeland Borough Council, runs academies to help unemployed residents get the basic skills, experience and confidence needed to get back into work.
At a time when many tourism businesses are struggling to recruit, the partnership wants to run an academy specific to the tourism and hospitality sector.
Copeland Mayor, Mike Starkie, said: "This is an innovative way to fill vacancies that has already proved successful in earlier academies.
"They feature short, sector-specific training courses, mock interviews, work experience and support with applications. They're delivered in partnership with employers who have current or future vacancies, and participants are guaranteed an interview at the end.
"It's great for the employers, who get direct access to job seekers interested in bespoke training - but it's also great for the participants, who get to find out about a particular type of job and perhaps even apply for a role."
The tourism and hospitality sector-based work academy would train candidates in areas such as customer service, food hygiene and teamwork. Employers with vacancies can opt to run an academy specifically for their business, or in partnership with other businesses. The academies can be delivered digitally or face-to-face.
Katie Read, Copeland Borough Council's Tourism Officer, said: "Tourism and hospitality careers offer different, fun and challenging experiences every day. Creating exceptional moments - big or small - is a skill that can be carried forward throughout a working life. Helping people make memories is incredibly satisfying."
The Copeland Work and Skills Programme is jointly funded by Copeland Community Fund and Sellafield Ltd.
If you are a tourism or hospitality business that has current or future vacancies, and would like to get involved in an academy, please contact the Work and Skills team at Copeland Borough Council on chris.pickles@copeland.gov.uk.
