Diageo Learning for Life relaunched to support the sector

Drinks supplier Diageo has offered its Learning For Life programme as a virtual training course to give businesses the skills and training support they need to meet the demands of dealing with Covid-19.

Nicola Reid, Diageo Learning for Life manager, said: “People and businesses in the hospitality industry across the UK are fighting for their future and we stand alongside them in that fight.

“That’s why we’ve refocused our Learning for Life programme so it offers the best training opportunities possible to support bar staff and businesses with skills that will help them weather the current storm.

“Along with our £30m Raising the Bar initiative, we are putting every resource we have available into the battle to save the hospitality trade.”

The Diageo Learning for Life: Hospitality Elevator virtual programme, delivered by Diageo’s hospitality training partner, Springboard, has been designed to provide specialist support to businesses in the sector, helping to develop and engage their teams, including those on furlough.

It provides training on improving practices and updating ways of working, and helps to alleviate isolation by inviting team members to participate in virtual sessions, helping those on furlough feel connected to their team, gain new skills and develop new strategies for looking after themselves during these challenging times.

The programme will be delivered online through a series of webinars and modules, and includes training such as:

• Covid-19: personal safety, workplace best practice, customer comfort
• Customer service: new customer requirements and behaviours
• Staff wellbeing: top tips and techniques to look after mental health
• Product knowledge: table service recommending, perfect service, cocktail training
• Diageo brand ambassador sessions
• Licensing qualification (region specific)

Inga McVicar, national head of employability at Springboard, added: “As the hospitality sector responds to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and new guidance comes into place, staff training is more important than ever. The pandemic has had a massive impact on hospitality staff, causing huge anxiety and stress, with their mental and physical wellbeing affected.

"The Hospitality Elevator programme offers some solution to this by providing training which helps employees feel more confident, improving their understanding of new guidance and ultimately leading them to deliver better service to customers.”

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