The significant disruption to our working lives brought about by the Covid pandemic has left lasting changes to how we look at work and what we expect from our jobs. With many questioning their career choices and work-life balance, it’s no wonder 2021 became the year of ‘The Great Resignation’, as workers around the world left their jobs in record numbers.

Public sector catering is among the sectors to have been hardest hit by crippling staff shortages, making it more vital than ever for managers to focus on attracting and retaining talent.

A big part of this is investing in training, both for those new to catering and to help existing employees to upskill and reskill – and to have their value recognised. Investing in your people will go a long way to fostering job satisfaction and loyalty, not to mention the greater efficiency created by improving the skills of your workforce.

Apprenticeships continue to play an invaluable role in helping to unlock skills quickly and to allow motivated staff to fast track into positions where they can provide real value. And, under new work patterns currently being considered by the Government, this process could become even quicker.

Flexible training

One of the new approaches currently being reviewed is ‘front-loading’, where apprentices are offered focused, off-the job training at the start of their apprenticeship, covering all the key skills and technical knowledge they need. Key behaviours and practical skills will continue to be embedded throughout the apprenticeship programme.

Front-loaded training could prove invaluable in helping apprentices to hit the ground running and make a real contribution to their workplaces from the very start.

And it doesn’t all have to be front-loaded. There are also options to flex the training model to have focused training at other stages of the apprenticeships to reflect the needs of the employer.

Also available are ‘accelerated apprenticeships’, which allow an employer to reduce the length of an apprenticeship for individuals who already possess relevant skills and knowledge.

Another training model to consider is ‘flexi-job apprenticeships’, which are designed to ensure that sectors and occupations, where short-term contracts or other non-standard employment models are the norm, can access the benefits of apprenticeships too.

As well as potentially saving money for employers, these flexible options could offer a more tailored approach to training that helps address the specific skills shortages their catering teams are facing.

No limit

While there’s been a growing awareness of the opportunities offered through apprenticeships, a number of prevailing myths are potentially preventing both employers and individuals from considering them as an option.

For instance, you may think of apprenticeships primarily as an option for school leavers, but there’s no age limit. Apprenticeships are an ideal way for people at any stage in their working lives to reskill or to build on their existing skills – whether they’re new to catering or want to progress further in the sector.

In my view, there’s no role an 18-year-old could take on in this sector that a 50-year-old couldn’t do without the right training.

As more and more people of all ages – and with various levels of experience – are starting to see the opportunities available through apprenticeships, change is on the horizon. And with greater flexibility in how apprenticeships are delivered, public sector caterers will have more options in how they attract newcomers to the sector, as well as supporting their existing employees to grow and develop in their roles.

Let’s invest in training and make 2022 ‘The Year of Retention’.

For more information visit: https://hittraining.co.uk/.