GATWICK, UK – Nestlé Professional continues its focus on inspiring young people through its Choose Hospitality Pledge program, by partnering with Sodexo to deliver mass career workshops at Sodexo Live! venue partners, Hampden Park in Glasgow, Everton FC’s Goodison Park and Brighton & Hove Albion FC’s American Express Stadium. Alongside this, another workshop at St James’ Park in Newcastle which is due to happen in the autumn term.
The Choose Hospitality Pledge career workshops engaged up to 250 secondary school pupils across the three stadia locations during the summer term.
The Choose Hospitality Pledge was established to help breathe new life into the sector by inspiring the next generation of talent. Its mission is to transform perceptions of the industry and ignite a passion for hospitality careers among young people, thereby fortifying the talent pipeline and addressing the projected talent deficit.
Held at iconic stadiums across the UK, the workshops provided an immersive and inspiring experience for all the students. For example, students were offered the unique opportunity to participate in hands-on skills taster sessions, such as working as a team to lay banqueting tables, helping to develop good team working and communication skills.
A key highlight was the inclusion of a series of panel events which brought together speakers from both Nestlé Professional and Sodexo Live! as well as industry talent from the local area. Students were able to take inspiration from hearing stories about their experiences in industry and initiate conversation with each panellist in an in-depth Q&A and gain plenty of valuable insight.
At the Brighton workshop, attendees had the privilege of hearing from Steven Edwards, chef patron at Etch and winner of 2013 MasterChef the Professionals, as well as Elycia Rayner, 2023 Toque d’Or back-of-house finalist and chef de partie at Oxford University.
The students also were able to hear from industry organisations such as UKHospitality, Springboard and HIT on routes into the sector, from specialist college courses and apprenticeship programmes, to direct employment. The events were divided into two breakout rooms with interactive stands, where students were able to explore various facets of the hospitality sector firsthand.
Commenting on the success of the events, Katya Simmons, MD, Nestlé Professional, said: “The Choose Hospitality Pledge was established to transform perceptions of hospitality careers and address the industry’s recruitment challenges. We are delighted to have collaborated with Sodexo in hosting these exclusive career workshops.
“Our partnership exemplifies the collective effort of the Choose Hospitality Pledge in addressing youth employment, a critical issue facing our industry. Together, we are urging hospitality businesses to unite and collaborate, offering meaningful opportunities for the next generation.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the speakers and students who participated in making these events a success. Your contributions have been invaluable in inspiring the next generation of hospitality professionals.”
Sue Davison, Head of apprenticeships and Early Careers Talent Team, Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “We are delighted that our Corporate Services and Sodexo Live! teams have been able to collaborate and support this fantastic initiative. At Sodexo we are passionate about encouraging young talent to join the dynamic foodservice industry and through these workshops we hope to inspire the next generation.”
The workshops aligned with Provider Access Legislation (PAL) and Gatsby Benchmark 5, which offered pupils the chance to have meaningful interactions with employers.
