The Devonshire Hospitality Academy, an in-house training programme was launched recently by The Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants Group, whose hospitality businesses include hotels, inns and cottages on the Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales and the Chatsworth Estate in the Peak District.
Individual properties in the Group include The Cavendish Hotel at Baslow and The Devonshire Arms Hotel and Spa at Bolton Abbey.
The Academy will support the professional development of new employees, of all ages, leading to a recognised industry qualification at Level 2 Apprenticeship, and the advancement of their professional lives. Crucially, recruits are offered a permanent full-time role, upon successful completion of the course.
Eight recruits have joined the scheme and include two mature candidates, who are taking this opportunity to switch career and adopt a career more aligned to their individual passions. Daniel Longden and Stephen Fawbert are both seeking a change of direction – Daniel was a carpet fitter, and Stephen an office worker for the Civil Service in London.
The advent of the pandemic encouraged them to rethink their priorities, and both men decided to pursue their love of cooking and retrain to be Chefs. Daniel, whose wife has also recently completed training to undergo a career change, has joined The Devonshire Arms Inn in Beeley on the Chatsworth Estate.
Stephen has also started work as a Chef at The Devonshire Fell, where he will support the Burlington kitchen team. He has also taken this opportunity to relocate and is now enjoying a complete change of lifestyle following a move to Derbyshire, where he now lives closer to his family.
The Academy has developed in direct response to a growing trend over recent years, heightened by the pandemic, where there has been resistance to entering the hospitality industry, and to gaining qualifications via the traditional college route system. The Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants Group is wholly committed to reviewing the working patterns, unsociable hours, work pressure and rates of pay within their businesses, which as part of the hospitality industry in general have often lagged behind those of competitor industries. This latest initiative is just one part of a range of progressive projects now underway. Other examples include the creation of 33 six-month placements in recent months under the Government’s new ‘Kickstart’ scheme, which aims to create additional jobs over and above the employee’s ‘normal’ workforce for youngsters (aged 16-24 years) who are receiving Universal Credit. Jobs included gardeners, farmyard and adventure playground assistants, a dry stone waller and commis Chef.
Under a separate project, in association with Craven College, The Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey has welcomed two supported intern apprenticeships. These are specifically for 18-24 year olds with learning or physical disabilities, and provide a combination of practical experience within the hospitality industry (unpaid), combined with learning in the college classroom. Each intake runs September to July and gives excellent ‘hands on’ experience and inspiration as well as a qualification (Level 1 Employability Skills) at the end of the internship. Practical work at the hotel will be carried out under the guidance of a ‘buddy’ working arrangement and mentoring provision, with the aim of building social skills along with work experience. Our recruits, Stephanie Jenkinson and Ryan Burns, are assisting in the kitchen garden and The Cavendish Pavilion.
The focus on work/life balance and staff wellbeing is not actually new to The Devonshire Group. One ground-breaking change enjoying success in recent years was the introduction of the four-day week for Chefs. This has had a marked benefit on the physical and mental health and camaraderie of all team members.
Richard Palmer, Managing Director of The Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants Group commented,
“This is a really exciting time for the hospitality industry, as positive changes are being made quickly now, catalysed by everything that that we have faced, it has been a good time to pause and look at things afresh. There has never been a better time to learn new skills and to seek more fulfilment from our working lives by joining this dynamic industry…Stephen and Daniel are inspiring examples of this shift. For those of us already established in our careers, now is the time to give others the benefit of our experience and share our passion.
I am so encouraged by the creation of the Academy and other initiatives, and the other programmes we now offer – career and personal development is an area for which I have real commitment and passion…. The key message from me is that these schemes are an invitation to gain invaluable life skills, which are transferable to many aspects of the hospitality industry, and beyond – for example, I know ex Chefs who are now hotel managers, working as Head of Innovation, and MDs of foodservice companies. This grassroots approach is a viable and dynamic alternative to the traditional college route.
I relate to this with personal experience, having started out my own career as a bar attendant at The Devonshire Brasserie. By age 21, I was managing a £1m turnover business and 25 staff, and by my mid 30’s I became the Group’s MD. There are now a wealth of opportunities for people from all walks of life, who are ready to apply themselves and are eager to learn and develop. For those wanting to go to the top, we offer training right through to MBA level. The world is your oyster, to coin a phrase!”
The Devonshire Group has an ongoing recruitment programme and is currently offering a variety of roles across the group. For more information, please look online or email your cv to and area of interest to: [email protected]
www.devonshiregroupcareers.co.uk/hotels-and-restaurants
