A budding partnership between HSDC and an iconic Portsmouth business has been celebrated with a National Apprenticeship Week award.
Throughout this week, virtual awards ceremonies are being held across a variety of categories to recognise the hard work of HSDC apprentices and the employers who support them.
The accolade for New Business Partnership has been awarded to the Queens Hotel in Southsea, after the firm took on a chef apprentice who spends one day each week in lessons on our South Downs Campus.
Mike Gaston, CEO and Principal of HSDC, presented the award during a virtual ceremony. He said:
“HSDC is delighted to be working with such an iconic organisation as the Queens Hotel, it is such a landmark within the city of Portsmouth and rightly so.
“We haven’t been working with the Queens Hotel for very long but in the short time we have, their open-minded approach to training their staff has greatly impressed the team here at HSDC.
“We are proud of our apprenticeship programmes and it is great to see the hotel using these apprenticeships to invest in training new and existing staff ready for their future careers and development.”
Jack Breach is an apprentice currently working in the kitchen, and more apprentices working in other areas of the hotel are planned.
Jack, 17, joined the kitchen team as a Kitchen Porter and Executive Chef Simon Hartnett soon spotted his potential and let him know about the apprenticeship programme.
He is being supported to do his Level 3 qualification as part of a day-release at HSDC South Downs means he can take his cooking skills to the next level.
Catherine Austen, General Manager of the Queens Hotel, said:
“We are so pleased to be included in the HSDC Apprenticeship Awards and recognised for the New Business Partnership.
“When business and education and training providers work together in partnership, we can achieve great things and make a real difference. Apprentices have a key role to play in the future of our business.”
The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2022 is Build the Future, encouraging everyone to consider how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and employers to develop a workforce with future-ready skills.
Catherine added:
Jack with one of his dishes
“We are keen to promote the career opportunities that are available in hospitality and develop the skills of our talented team.
“By offering an apprenticeship programme, we can develop the talent of the future and help to retain team members who are gaining work experience at the same time as learning.
“Working with HSDC has been such a positive experience and I would encourage other employers who are considering going down the apprenticeship route to contact HSDC and speak to their team about it.”