Greene King, the country’s leading pub retailer and brewer, today celebrates National Apprenticeship Week 2018 by announcing that it has supported a record 10,000 of its team members through its award-winning Greene King Apprenticeship Programme. The 10,000 milestone accounts for team members who have graduated from the programme, as well as those currently in training, since its launch in 2011.
The Greene King Apprenticeship Programme offers roles for leadership and management, brewing, chefs, bar and front of house staff, and will help team members achieve industry-leading qualifications and build a long-term career in hospitality. Since it began, the scheme has been repeatedly recognised both by the hospitality industry and externally for its dedication to high quality training and development.
To complement the apprenticeship programme’s objective of supporting young people into work, Greene King launched the Get Into Hospitality programme, in partnership with The Prince’s Trust in 2016. The three-week intensive programme addresses the skills and experience gaps that prevent unemployed young people from getting into work through providing work experience and training. So far supporting [160] young people through its Get Into Hospitality certification, those who go on to work for the pub company are then encouraged to enter the Greene King Apprenticeship Programme to further develop their skills and qualifications.
Greene King apprentice Rachael McAtee has done just that. She said: “The Get Into Hospitality Programme really gave me the confidence to explore a career in hospitality, and it was fantastic to be offered a front of house role with Greene King at the end of it. I settled into that role quickly and it didn’t take long before I was recommended to apply for the Greene King Apprenticeship programme. I’ve not only achieved a Level 2 F&B services, an industry recognised qualification, but I’m working my way up the ranks and exploring further development opportunities available to me. For those wondering what a career in the hospitality industry would be like, I encourage them to take the leap. It’s definitely worth it!”
Rooney Anand, chief executive at Greene King, said: “We have invested in our apprenticeship programme for seven years now and it’s great that we’ve been able to support 10,000 of our team members during that time. But it won’t stop there as we recognise it’s more important than ever that we continue to bring young people into the hospitality industry and show that it can provide a stable, exciting and rewarding career. Our apprenticeship programme and partnership with The Prince’s Trust are leading the way and we look forward to welcoming others to develop their skills and build a career with us.”
