Springboard helps 7,000 young people find hospitality jobs

Industry charity Springboard said it has enabled more than 7,000 unemployed young people to find work in hospitality through an initiative launched in October 2020.

The ‘Springboard to 2022’ project, with the tag-line ‘Futureproofing Hospitality’s Talent Pipeline’, aimed to get 10,000 unemployed individuals into the industry by 2022. That figure is now at 7,063, which is over 70% of its end-of-year target.

As hospitality faces ongoing staff shortages, Springboard’s programme provides 18 months of training for young people seeking roles in the industry, as well as services like one-to-one mentoring, CV building and work experience placements.

Nizor Lok Noshock, 19, from Stirling, found work at the Garden Restaurant in Kimpton Charlotte Square in Edinburgh through the project, becoming the 7,000th person to do so.

She said: “I heard about Springboard through the Job Centre and it was the best decision I ever made. After getting an interview with the Kimpton hotel, I was able to put my training into practice, and I was delighted to be offered a place in the Garden Restaurant.

“I absolutely love it because everyone is open, friendly, helpful and patient. I’m learning and progressing every day and I think my life can only get better now that I found a job I love.”

Chris Gamm, chief executive officer of Springboard, said: “This is a significant milestone for our employment initiative, Springboard to 2022, and it has been fantastic to see the great progress we have been making with the help of our project partners; Savoy Educational Trust, Barclays, BaxterStorey, Diageo and Trusthouse Charitable Foundation.

“It is incredibly positive to see business picking up, but staffing remains the biggest challenge. It is something I see every day and is impacting growth for many hospitality businesses.”

Springboard to 2022 also supported 1,077 young people into hospitality jobs through its partnership with the Savoy Educational Trust, as well as raising the £5m needed to sustain the two-year goal of enabling 10,000 young people to secure hospitality jobs.

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