6th February 2020
To mark National Apprenticeship Week 2020, CH&CO has launched the CH&CO Grow With Us Apprenticeship Academy, confirming the company’s commitment to the development of new and existing team members.
The inclusive approach to apprenticeships supports employees from apprentice to board level, enabling them to grow within the diverse business across its wide range of sectors and roles.
The CH&CO Apprenticeship Academy includes:
- Chefs Academy – supporting chefs at every stage of their career and attracting and developing new talent to fill the skills gap
- Service Academy – developing confident hospitality professionals with world-class customer service
- Business Academy – championing development opportunities across the business’ support functions from accounting and law to marketing and HR
- Leadership Academy – offering our future leaders development opportunities that will challenge them and help fulfil their career goals
CH&CO is working closely with its apprenticeship delivery partners to design and deliver apprenticeship programme models that match the business’ objectives and uphold its vision and values. Every apprenticeship journey features on- and off-job training, mentoring and a focus on key areas such as, safeguarding, social and ethical awareness, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing, including mental health and nutrition training.
A new online CH&CO Grow With Us Apprenticeship Academy prospectus has been launched across the business, which operates in more than 1,000 sites and employs more than 10,000 people, to inspire team members to join the academy or offer an apprenticeship in their part of the business.
Liam Hatcher, Head of Learning & Development, CH&CO, said: “We’re very excited to launch the CH&CO Grow With Us Apprenticeship Academy to the business. Apprenticeships offer all our people the opportunity to develop personally and professionally and realise their career ambitions. We want to inspire the next generation of chefs, hospitality professionals and industry leaders and the Grow With Us Apprenticeship Academy supports this. Through our inclusive approach and by partnering with some of the industry’s best apprenticeship providers we’re taking our training and development programmes to the next level and giving our teams clear guidance and tools to help them innovate and grow, which is absolutely the right thing to do.”
Terry Waldron, COO, CH&CO, added: “People are at the heart of hospitality and we want our people to feel valued. Our focus on developing and supporting them never stops – they are, after all, our greatest asset; from the chefs and on-site teams serving our customers to our people working in our offices supporting our operations and clients. The CH&CO Grow With Us Apprenticeship Academy gives our teams access to a diverse range of development opportunities that allows them to explore and fulfil their goals.
“Aside from benefitting individuals, we know that apprenticeships are a key contributor to future-proofing our business. Through apprenticeships we can improve the skills and knowledge of our teams, which motivates our people, supports retention and attracts new talent.”
