Source: Oxford Brookes

Nominations are now invited for the Oxford Cultural Collective Award, which will recognise the rising stars of the hospitality, food and beverage sectors across Thailand.

Open to those under the age of 30, this prestigious award celebrates the talents of the sector's future leaders, whose professionalism and flair are respected by their employers and peers.

Nominations opened on 17th November 2017 and must be submitted no later than 1st April 2018. Companies are invited to nominate their most talented young employees – those who are having a positive impact on their business and who display clear leadership potential.

This exciting new initiative is being hosted by three organisations that are committed to the continued professionalization of Thailand's hospitality industry: The Oxford Cultural Collective, an international cultural and educational institute dedicated to promoting better understanding of food, drink and hospitality; the Oxford School of Hospitality Management at Oxford Brookes University, one of the world's leading centres for hospitality-focused higher education; and the ASEAN Professional Beverage Academy, an innovative Bangkok-based training and development centre.

Donald Sloan, Chair of the Oxford Cultural Collective, spoke at the Award's launch event on 16th November at Le Cochon Blanc Restaurant in Bangkok: "We are determined that the Oxford Cultural Collective Award should achieve profile and impact across the whole of the Thai hospitality industry. It will promote the value of recognising and rewarding talented staff – something that should be a priority for all progressive employers."

Sloan also outlined the overarching aims of the Award: "The Thai hospitality industry is facing a skills crisis. We continuously hear from General Managers that their number one challenge is recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of appropriately skilled staff. Through the Oxford Cultural Collective Award we assert our belief that investing in staff, through high quality training and education, can help hospitality companies become 'employers of choice' in a highly competitive labour market."

Following the launch, several leading hospitality companies have already indicated their intention to embed the Oxford Cultural Collective Award within their established staff recognition schemes.

Ten short-listed candidates will be invited to a judging day in June 2018. They will meet face-to-face with a judging panel consisting of distinguished figures from the international hospitality, food and drinks sectors, who will choose the ultimate winner of the Oxford Cultural Collective Award.

The winner will receive and all expenses paid overseas educational trip, the content of which will reflect their own interests and aspirations.

In addition to the Award, the Oxford Cultural Collective plans to hold an ongoing series of business and cultural events in Bangkok, and elsewhere in Thailand, to draw together a community of professionals who are committed to tackling the Thai hospitality industry's skills deficit.

NOMINATIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED VIA THE OXFORD CULTURAL COLLECTIVE WEBSITE https://oxfordculturalcollective.com/about-us/occ-award-thailand/

Contact

Laurie Tebbutt

The Oxford Cultural Collective

Phone: +44 757099356

Email: [email protected]

About The Oxford School of Hospitality Management 

The Oxford School of Hospitality Management is a leading provider of higher education in the field of international hospitality and tourism management. The School has achieved an international reputation for teaching excellence and innovation, as well as strong links with business and industry. The School is ranked in the top three hospitality schools in the world (Worldwide Hospitality School Awards 2016) and top in the UK for student satisfaction (KIS data, 2016).

For more information visit http://hospitality.brookes.ac.uk/