The pledge will see the company add to the 1,500 apprentices currently on vocational learning programmes across the estate and is designed to inspire young people to build a credible career pathway in the retail hospitality sector.
Opportunities for young people
On announcing the pledge at the Publican’s Morning Advertiser and M&C Report’s Future Pub Conference 2014, M&B chief executive Alistair Darby said: “Through our apprenticeship pledge we want to create opportunities for talented young people to make the step into the world of work with Mitchells & Butlers. Our apprentices can train with us, work with us, and build a career with us – helping us continue to deliver exceptional service to our guests.”
Matthew Hancock MP, Minister for Skills and Enterprise, added: “It’s becoming the new norm for young people to choose to either go to university or begin an apprenticeship. So it’s great that Mitchells & Butlers has chosen National Apprenticeship Week to announce that 1,000 new Apprenticeships will be created within their organisation.
“Apprenticeships lead to great prospects and I would encourage other employers to follow Mitchells & Butlers’ lead and use apprenticeships as an opportunity to grow their own talent and improve the skills base of their workforce.”
Business and schools
M&B is working in partnership with Believe in Young People (BiYP), a charity dedicated to bringing business and schools together, to recruit new staff and “help bridge the gap between education and employment”.
BiYP’s programme connects employers and schools at a local level, integrating vocational skills into the secondary school curriculum.
M&B is providing tailored training and qualifications, beginning with a work experience offer for schools, leading on to apprenticeships programmes in kitchen, retail or management skills as well as Foundation, Honours and Post Graduate degrees.
The company said it means apprentices can earn while they learn, gain valuable retail management skills and build a degree qualification over time with a leading hospitality company.
Event
As part of National Apprenticeship Week, M&B is also holding a showcase event titled ‘Developing a Youth Strategy’ at its Retail Support Centre in Birmingham on Friday 7 March.
A number of Midlands schools, businesses, suppliers and education partners will be attending to hear more about the scheme, understand the training and career opportunities available and share best practice to encourage more businesses to take on apprentices in the future.