‘Springboard 2022’ is an 18-month programme in which the charity will support businesses to hire and retain skilled staff, offer specialist careers advice and promote the hospitality industry through engagement.

The hospitality industry was one of the ‘hardest hit’ industries by the Covid-19 pandemic with as many as 900,000 jobs at risk. An additional 30,000 young people who would normally enter the hospitality industry are likely to struggle to find employment.

Chris Gram, chief executive of Springboard, said: “The Government has committed a huge amount of support to getting young people into work, training and apprenticeships, but hospitality businesses are simply not in a place to take advantage right now.

“However, hospitality has experienced a long-term staffing crisis and, post-Covid and post-Brexit, when the industry has recovered and returned to full capacity, that staffing crisis is likely to be worse than ever.”

“Our goal is to futureproof the hospitality talent pipeline and have 10,000 young people engaged, skilled and ready for work for when the industry recovers in 12-18 months’ time.”

The project has won the support of UK employers including Sodexo, CH&CO, Bidfood, BaxterStorey and Bespoke Hotels.

Springboard has over 30 years of experience supporting young and disadvantaged people get into the hospitality industry through its training programmes.

If you have any vacancies to fill, Springboard has partnered with Harri’s Hospitality Unite to support businesses looking to explore the government’s kick-start initiative.