National Apprenticeship Week was a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on the benefits and opportunities apprenticeships bring to many people in the UK. Apprenticeships provide the chance to gain valuable skills, irreplaceable hands-on experience, and qualifications, all while earning a salary and being embedded into a supportive and engaging workplace.
However, as someone who has been fortunate enough to work in a number of hotel businesses around the world, it saddens me that in the UK, many are still of the opinion that hospitality – and subsequently roles within hotels – are still a ‘stop gap’ before you start your real career.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. In reality, the world of hospitality is a vibrant, engaging and exciting place where there is an incredible range of opportunities and roles which all need to work seamlessly together in order to run complex and intricate operations.
Alongside the highly skilled chefs and front-of-house teams, there are those in management positions working with those who bring a unique expertise. Dig a little deeper and look behind the curtain, and our industry is reliant on people skilled in a variety of professions, including HR, data analysis, marketing, finance, sales, and more.
At Hand Picked Hotels, we are also fortunate to have an exceptional team of people in our spas and health facilities. These are all respected professions, which people may not consider to be essential to keeping our businesses running, and to the standards our guests expect and deserve.
Having been in the industry for over 30 years, what I can also attest to is working within hotels will give people the chance to travel the world if they are brave enough to grab when opportunities knock. While I started my career working in hospitality businesses and hotel groups in Belgium for the likes of IHG, Dorint Hotels and Accor, I took my first international step with Accor in 2002 when I moved to Dubai.
How many other industries are there which can confidently claim to have such an international reach. Personally, I have worked within multinational businesses across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. In turn, this has put me in a privileged position where I have been able to work with and learn from many people and mentors from different backgrounds and cultures.
For parents who may still be concerned about the career prospects for young people looking into entry-level positions, let me be living proof of what hard work, determination, and passion can bring.
My first taste of hospitality came at 17, working in my mother’s restaurant waiting tables in my home town of Knokke in Belgium, before going on to major in Mathematics, and then completing my Hotel Management Level 1, securing a position in my town’s top hotel, La Réserve. Since then, I have grasped every opportunity possible and have subsequently worked my way up the proverbial ladder. Now, I’m in the privileged position of being trusted by the founder as CEO of a portfolio of 21 hotels across the UK and Channel Islands.
For those who are ambitious and have the drive to success, there is nothing stopping them from achieving the same. And for those looking to explore an apprenticeship and career in hotels, my top three pieces of advice would be:
Try to gain as much experience as possible in different departments. The more you understand a role and what goes into executing it seamlessly, the more capable you will be of being able to work with and manage it later in your career. What’s more, our industry truly does work best when all parts work together.
Take every opportunity you possibly can. Learn – apprenticeships are an incredible way to gain hands-on experience. Don’t shy away just because it’s something new, and really throw yourself into the deep end.
Find mentors who inspire you and absorb as much as you can from them. It will make you a better person, employee, hotelier, and leader in the long-run.