RACA’s partnership with the five colleges will complement the work it has already achieved with its four accredited colleges – Bournemouth and Poole, City of Liverpool, University of Birmingham and Westminster Kingsway. The partnerships strengthen its wider presence across the country and enhances its educational support for colleges nationwide.

The programme is supported by the Savoy Educational Trust (SET) and was approved in May 2024. It will focus on informing and nurturing the next generation of talent in the hospitality industry as it builds up to supporting a total of 35 colleges across three years.

The College Community Programme provides an ‘exceptional opportunity’ for college students and their lecturers to directly connect with experts and operators within the industry, enriching their learning and advancing their skills.

Students will benefit from regional personal development sessions that offer invaluable tips on preparing for interviews and asking the right questions – insights that are essential for anyone looking to break into hospitality with confidence – as well as the opportunity to attend recruitment days and industry events.

Lisa Jenkins, chief executive of The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, said: “The College Community Programme is an exciting new project for the Academy and offers the opportunity to genuinely support challenges across the further education sector.

“Our academician and associate members seek to inspire students studying hospitality whether that is front or back of house, this initiative creates direct connections between colleges, the teaching staff, the students and the hospitality industry.

“We have had initial conversations with our first five colleges and are now starting to implement some plans to not only provide them with some funding but also connect them to our RACA network. The plan is that some of the initiatives we set up in these first five colleges will provide a template for fundraising and experiential events in colleges across the country.”

This is an ‘exciting’ programme for both RACA and hospitality education as it looks to double the number of colleges it supports each year, with ten new colleges planned for 2025 and a further 20 for 2026.