Work experience competition offers new career outlook
A university student has been given the opportunity of a lifetime to gain ‘money can’t buy’ work experience at leading luxury hotel The Dorchester in London.
UKSP, the one-stop shop for careers, jobs, training, qualifications, employers and training providers in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism, teamed up with The Dorchester as part of a competition to give young people an insight into the fantastic career opportunities available in the hospitality industry.
Through entering the work experience competition on the UKSP website, Shandice Wright won a coveted placement at the world-class hotel, where she has received training across front of house, kitchen and dining, and events.
Currently studying a degree in video and film production, the competition has opened Shandice to the possibility of a new career direction.
“Everyone at The Dorchester is very passionate about their work and knows their role really well. They have provided some great mentoring during the week and have inspired me to go into hospitality.
“I’ve really enjoyed learning new skills at the hotel and would definitely like this experience to lead somewhere,” she explained.
With research showing that a quarter of managers in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries are under 30,* and an additional 34,300^ managers needed between now and 2017, there are significant opportunities to fast-track a career into management level positions in the sector.
Melanie Whitaker, Learning and Development Manager at The Dorchester, said that the hotel was thrilled to work with UKSP to help continue to promote hospitality as an attractive and rewarding industry to work in.
“The work experience competition is shining a light on the exciting careers available, not only within The Dorchester, but in hospitality in general,” Melanie said.
“It has been great to see how enthusiastic Shandice has been and we’ve been really impressed with how quickly she has learnt. As a highly intelligent and enthusiastic young woman she definitely has a bright career in front of her in this sector.”
The UKSP ‘Money can’t buy’ work experience competition has proven extremely popular with career seekers due to the high calibre of businesses involved and the increasing understanding that hospitality provides fantastic opportunities.
The next work experience competition is now open and is offering the winner a chance to win a week’s work experience with leading UK catering company, Baxter Storey.
To enter the competition, all you have to do is visit www.uksp.co.uk and register your interest!
* Office for national statistics (2010) Labour Force Survey
^ Working Futures 2007-2017 (2008), LSC/IER/CE, electronic resource
For further information, please contact:
Natalie Angel
01895 817053 or 07920 087594
natalie.angel@people1st.co.uk
About People 1st
People 1st is the sector skills council for the hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries focusing on transforming skills in the sector through the development of world class qualifications in management and leadership, customer service and craft skills. The People 1st Training Company is focused on developing training products that meet the skills needs of employers in the industry.
About The Dorchester
The Dorchester is situated in the heart of London’s Mayfair on Park Lane, with rooms and suites affording expansive views of Hyde Park. The Dorchester Spa reopened in May 2009 after a multimillion transformation to offer indulgent pampering in a glamorous art deco setting. A wide range of dining is available to guests in The Promenade, The Bar and The Grill. China Tang offers authentic Cantonese cuisine, while three Michelin star Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester is one of London’s finest contemporary French dining experiences.
