The 5* London Marriott Hotel County Hall today announces growth of its partnershipwith leading youth charity The Prince’s Trust, providing training and training opportunities for teens keen to develop a career inside the hospitality industry.
2012 saw youth unemployment reach a record high, over 1.2m within the UK. The Prince’s Trust and Marriott hotels were working together nationally, to supply opportunities for disadvantaged teens and the London Marriott Hotel County Hall hotel has recently taken on two employees from The Prince’s Trust Fairbridge programme.
Located within the heart of Westminster the London Marriott Hotel County Hall has worked with The Prince’s Trust and its Fairbridge programme since 2011, supporting the ‘Employ Me’ course which offers disadvantaged children the chance to achieve an insight into the arena of labor. The course concentrates on key employability skills for adolescents who don’t have access to education, employment or training with work experience opportunities in quite a number hospitality roles including front of house, housekeeping and food and beverage.
The London Marriott Hotel County Hall ‘Housekeeping Challenge’ is a piece experience activity, enabling youth to position hospitality theory into practice. The hotel’s Executive Housekeeper Vince Castronovo briefs students at the features, facilities and steps enthusiastic about preparing a room fit to the 5* standard for guests. The teenagers then have the ability to come back a ‘distressed’ room back to its perfect state. Their efforts are filmed and evaluated by the manager Housekeeper before the crowd is then offered the prospect to undertake five hours of supervised work experience on the hotel in a department in their choice in order to then securing a freelance of employment to further develop their careers. Up to now the London Marriott Hotel County Hall has held threeHousekeeping Challenges offering career, support and coaching to twenty youth with ambitions to double this support in 2013.
Manuel da Costa and Jonathan Zepeda are two teenagers who’ve taken part within the ‘Employ Me’ programme on the London Marriott Hotel County Hall.
Sixteen-year-old Manuel da Costa from Waterloo began with the Fairbridge Programme by joining the mathematics and English courses. Manuel then joined the London Marriott HotelCounty Hall as portion of the ‘Employ Me’ course working with a team of Marriott chefs to be informed more about careers within the culinary and hospitality industries. Following the course Manuel now works part-time inside the hotel’s kitchen under the guidance of Executive Chef Gareth Bowen whilst continuing his studies and has ambitions to 1 day open his own restaurant.
Seventeen-year-old Jonathan Zepeda from Vauxhall is now employed on the hotel as a member of the Housekeeping team. Learning how one can work as a team in addition to the most important elements of shopper service and adhering to the hotels’ strict, 5* standards have enabled Jonathan to develop his self-confidence. He now has ambitions to develop his career to Housekeeping Supervisor and in the future work as a manager.
Commenting at the partnership, Theresa Maw General Manager for the London Marriott Hotel County Hall said, “It is really inspiring to work out teenagers realise their career ambitions with the guidance and support of both the team on the hotel and on the Prince’s Trust. As a Marriott hotel we’re committed to ‘give something back’ and dealing directly with the local people to support and develop the opportunity of those keen to develop a career within the hospitality industry.”
Alex Dimsdale, Director of Human Resources for the London Marriott Hotel County Hall added: “We have partnered with The Prince’s Trust since 2011 and feature been overwhelmed with the keenness, commitment and professionalism of the scholars that we have got worked with. The Housekeeping Challenge was developed specifically to practically realise this commitment and we glance forward to developing opportunities foreven more students in 2013.”
Dermot Finch, The Prince’s Trust Regional Director for the South added: “We are hugely grateful to the team on the London Marriott Hotel County Hall for the support and opportunities they’ve provided our youngsters.Working with an organization that has one of these strong reputation means our kids have a chance to forge the beginning of a promising career with an industry leader. We glance forward to growing and developing this chance toeven more students in 2013 and beyond.”
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