The Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel has launched an outreach programme with four local schools to encourage students to consider a career in hospitality.
Students aged between 13-years-old and 16-years-old from the Academy of St Francis of Assisi, Archbishop Blanch School, the Academy of St Nicholas and Notre Dame Catholic College will have the opportunity to participate in six workshops at the hotel.
These include working with café, kitchen, front of house, sales, bar and housekeeping staff and receiving bar, restaurant and housekeeping training.
The programme aims to remove the stigma around a career in hospitality, especially at a time when job vacancies are at 174,000, according to figures from the ONS.
The first session took place on 17 June and another is due to be held in six months’ time.
Howard Lewis, general manager at Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village, said: “I am excited to be welcoming students from the local area to come and visit the hotel. I am also eager for them to see what amazing opportunities await for those who may not have considered a career in the hospitality industry as a viable option.
“The end goal for the outreach programme is to create a working environment that builds a legacy within the local community, and that starts by educating local students on the diverse range of jobs available in the sector. I also want to present working at the hotel as something to aspire to.”
Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village opened on 4 July and features 221 rooms across a 16-storey building.
Novotel has over 530 sites in over 60 countries and is part of the Accor group.