Raise a glass with: Ross Carter, chief executive of the Drinks Trust
Ross Carter, chief executive of the Drinks Trust, on Develop, the trust's vocational hardship programme, created to help people navigate the challenges of the past two years
It will be no shock to anyone that the drinks sector, like the wider hospitality industry, has been experiencing a significant staff and skills shortage. Hospitality industry bodies have reported that one in five workers have left the sector during the pandemic; and a significant proportion of the industry workforce is struggling with long-term debt and lacks available funding to support career mobility.
It's time to address this before it's too late. So, for the first time in its 135-year history the Drinks Trust has launched the first drinks-led vocational hardship initiative, Develop. The scheme is designed to lift people out of long-term hardship and help tackle the staff and skills shortage by introducing a funding and training programme that delivers opportunity and skills to those within and looking to enter our industry. The initiative will train and educate the next generation of drinks and hospitality professionals.
The concept of creating a bespoke vocational hardship programme for the industry began back in 2020, just ahead of the first lockdown when the Drinks Trust set out its plan to provide new services across both wellbeing and vocational hardship. Since then, the trust has refined its offering to meet the industry's workforce needs considering the many challenges faced over the past two years.
We plan for the initiative to help around 750 beneficiaries in its first year of operation, with a variety of training and development options ranging from self-guided CV writing and interview skills workshops through to sector-specific, CPD-accredited training with top industry providers, including the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, Mixology and the European Bartender School, Barfection, among others.
A huge thanks goes out to all the brands and operators that have helped us get this initiative off the ground. Companies including Campari Group (official spirits partner), Moët Hennessy UK (official Champagne partner), Vagabond Wines, M restaurants and Gaucho restaurants as operator partners all recognise the vital importance of the scheme for the welfare of the entire drinks hospitality industry and the many people living in hardship in the UK.
Applications to Develop are now open, and we encourage business leaders to share this opportunity with their staff and peers to encourage applications onto one of our many courses.
To find out about training and how to apply, visit www.drinkstrust.org.uk/develop
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