At this point the international skills gap crisis currently engulfing the majority of companies is common knowledge within the business community. A huge issue for any organisation to tackle, the Hospitality industry have been slogging through their own issues, as an area of work that suffers from an abnormally high rate of employee turnover, hanging onto skilled workers is a challenge.

A recent report by People 1st predicted over 900,000 new employees will be required by the industry by 2022, and with a turnover rate of 20% (one of the highest of all industries in the UK), ensuring these new members of staff are adequately trained could be one of the biggest challenges Hospitality has faced.

Technological advancements have reached the point where the public no longer rely on traditional Hospitality venues such as Hotels or Hostels for their travelling accommodation. The likes of AirBnB have widened the playing pool and brought with it a sense of urgency for the industry to find its flow, up-skill and outpace private competition.

The beauty of apprenticeships is the ability to both learn theory of the industry combined with the real world experience from daily activities. While time spent within the working environment is vital to the growth of an individual, it's the academic studies that come through an apprenticeship qualification that really helps close the skills gaps that are rife.

But apprenticeships are for the young…

To those who seek to begin a career with a sustained and visible path of succession; Hospitality can lead to senior management and strategic positions in time. At this level, other skill gaps appear and yet only 1 in 5 senior managers in the UK hold an appropriate Management qualification; so how can we expect the issue to simply disappear?

While many will scoff at the mere idea of taking on an apprenticeship whilst already holding a senior position within a company, it is important to remember that apprenticeships aren't only an option for those just entering the workplace. Apprenticeships are open to all ages; the only difference is how they're funded.

Enrolling in level 6 or 7 apprenticeships can result in a qualification equivalent to a full undergraduate degree while some also offer the chance to earn in line with a Master's degree. Both of which involve tailored work integrated with the business itself to give an additional benefit an actual degree lacks.

Despite a level 2 or 3 apprentice only earning the equivalent to GCSE or A-Level certificates, it's the work experience in addition to the industry specific information that can make a difference in these apprentices' lives and in time, the business as well.

However the industry attempts to achieve what is needed, it's vital that something happens sooner rather than later. Not only is there an ever-growing skills gap, but with the added implications stemming from an abnormally high rate of turnover, bringing in more Hospitality apprentices could make a huge difference in helping to fix both issues with just one change.

Michael O'Flynn
Sales & Marketing Director
Professional Academy