Premier Inn to Hit Target of Training 150 Apprentices in Scotland in 2016 with the Announcement of 32 New Vacancies
Premier Inn, the UK’s leading budget hotel chain, is on target to train 150 apprentices in Scotland in 2016, with the announcement of a further 32 apprenticeships this week during Scottish Apprenticeship Week – 29th February – 4th March 2016.
Aimed at school leavers, the new Modern Apprenticeship Programme, developed in partnership with ITC Academy and Skills Development Scotland, has been a huge success since it launched in October 2015.
The 12 month programme gives apprentices the chance to gain first-hand experience in every area of Premier Inn hotels, from housekeeping to reception, earn money and gain recognised hospitality industry Level 2 qualifications at the same time.
All apprentices are employed on permanent contracts, with progression opportunities, and are paid a standard rate, which is above the minimum wage. .
Sandra Kelly, Head of Education at Whitbread, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce more vacancies on our Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Programme especially during Scottish Apprenticeship Week.
“We have worked really closely with ITC Academy and Skills Development Scotland for some time to put the right programme in place, which has really paid off.
“It’s great to see it all come together and to be able to be in a position to announce a further 32 vacancies, which will enable us to hit our target of training 150 apprentices in Scotland this year.”
Thomas Foster, (20), from St Andrews, one of the first apprentices to be enrolled on the new Apprenticeship Programme, joined the kitchen team in the newly opened hotel in St Andrews in November 2015.
Thomas said: “It’s been such a great opportunity for me to be one of the first apprentices on this new Premier Inn Modern Apprenticeship Programme. I’ve already learned so much in such a short space of time and I’m really looking forward to what the next eight months will bring at this new hotel.
“I now believe this is more than a job, but a career of choice which I feel lucky to have in my hometown and being among fantastic team members who are giving me a lot of help and support every day. “
Lawrence Durden, Skills Development Scotland’s tourism sector manager, said: “Modern Apprenticeships provide great opportunities for young people to work, earn and learn in the hospitality industry.
“Providing Modern Apprenticeships is a vital way for the industry to continue to attract talented young people and to maintain and develop a skilled workforce for the future.”
Ian McCulloch, Director of ITC Academy, said: “ITC Academy is delighted with the success of this programme, with the first group of apprentices progressing well and we are really excited about the prospect of taking on another 32 over the next few months.”
To apply for the Premier Inn Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Programme, please visit www.apprenticeships.scot
Issued on behalf of Premier Inn by Michelle Brown PR Ltd, for further information, please contact:
Michelle Brown
michelle@michellebrownpr.com/07920 406674
Notes to editors
The WISE Programme
The internal WISE programme (Whitbread Investing in Skills and Employment) was created in 2012 to speed up, scale up and join up engagement with the education system, employment opportunities and apprenticeships and involves –
- Creating structured work experience for students
- Visiting schools and colleges to change perceptions of hospitality with great career opportunities
- Creating structured work placements for those seeking work through a range of programmes, including long term unemployed
- Creating apprenticeships from level 1 pre-employment training programmes through to an MSc (level 7) in Multi site Leadership
About Premier Inn
- Premier Inn currently has 68 hotels in Scotland and over 6,000 rooms
- Premier Inn employs over 1,800 people in Scotland
- Over 700 hotels in the UK and Ireland
- Premier Inn has been named the UK’s top rated hotel chain by the Which? Hotel Chain Report 2015 and with over 700 budget hotels and more than 60,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland, our customers are never far from a great night’s sleep.
- Premier Inn hotels are in more locations than any other UK hotel brand for the ease and convenience of families, couples and business travellers alike.
- All bedrooms feature en-suite bathrooms, a luxurious Hypnos bed, TV with Freeview and free WiFi. A bar and restaurant is situated inside each hotel or adjacent, offering a wide range of food choices including an all you can eat ‘Premier Breakfast’ from only £8.75 with kids eating free.
- Customers who book direct through the Premier Inn website are able to enjoy the best room rates by choosing the Saver Rate option. These rates are exclusively available through premierinn.com – terms and conditions apply.
- Premier Inn is also open in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and India.
- This year (2014-2015), over 80% of Premier Inn hotels achieved a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence – which recognises the accommodations, attractions and eateries that make perfect trips possible.
- Premier Inn is Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity’s biggest corporate supporter – £5m of the £7.5m fundraising target has been raised with work already underway on a brand new Premier Inn Clinical Building at the hospital. The funds raised go towards supporting the care of some of the sickest children across the globe.
- Premier Inn is the first UK hotel company to receive the prestigious Carbon Trust Triple Standard Award for achievements in carbon, water & waste reduction
- Voted Best UK Hotel Chain in the Globe Travel Awards 2015
- Rated Best Midscale Hotel Brand in the Business Travel Awards 2015
- Rated Most Innovative Hospitality Company UK by Corporate LiveWire in the 2015 Innovation & Excellence Awards
- ITC Academy is the trading name of Independent Training Consultants Ltd, founded in 2010 to deliver Modern Apprenticeships to the hospitality industry. Since inception, the company has successfully trained over 400 apprentices ranging from Level 2 to Level 4, with 150 apprentices currently undergoing training.
