Hospitality Apprenticeship Week 2019 - learn as you earn
In the final of our series of stories celebrating Hospitality Apprenticeship Week (5 to 9 August), Sodexo Apprenticeship Programme Manager Sue Davison talks about the company’s passion for ‘earning and learning’.
Sue heads a team looking after 900-plus apprentices across Sodexo’s UK and Ireland operations. The team are the facilitators behind the scenes, making sure the right opportunities are available for anyone looking to ‘learn as they earn’.
In recent years, Sodexo has really stepped up its apprenticeship programme, after the UK Government overhauled apprenticeship funding in 2017 and introduced a new levy fund.
“At the time, Sodexo had more individual apprentices, but mostly at entry level to gain basic skills,” says Sue.
We have completely re-engineered the process and set up new partnerships with high quality training providers. We still offer the broad skills-base in hospitality, but also provide specific specialist training at a higher level.
“We can attract both new recruits to the business and reach out to people looking to develop within company. Apprenticeships allow us to invest in the broad range of talent we have.”
So what’s available? Sodexo has jumped from 15 to 59 apprentice programmes, all funded from the UK Government’s apprentices levy scheme, so there really is something for all - whether you are new to the hospitality industry or looking to up skill.
If your drive is to succeed in the kitchen or you want to develop front of house skills then there are courses and opportunities for qualifications right up to degree level. Hospitality can be a career for life, and not just for Royal Ascot or the Open!
Current vacancies that might catch your eye will be available on the Sodexo Jobs website, or you can register your interest in future opportunities here.
Sue is proud that Sodexo has been at the forefront on setting new benchmarks for apprenticeship training. “We are the trail-blazers,” she says. “We have been looking at the gaps in our skills-set and also joined with like-minded employers to develop new standards. This is completely employer led and Sodexo is right at the forefront.
“We follow our apprentices closely and watch their development through our HR systems and newly developed reporting tools. It’s good that we can truly see the return on investment in our training.
Helping people to thrive is the Sodexo way and our apprenticeship programme is designed to make us the first-choice company for anyone wanting a career in hospitality industry.
Interested? Click here to start your apprenticeship journey with Sodexo today. #FireItUp #ComeOnIn #SodexoApprentices
Click here if you can't see the video above
Pictured
Sue Davison, Sodexo Apprenticeship Programme Manager