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10,000 young people across UK secure jobs in hospitality thanks to Springboard charity

Published:  13 December, 2022

Leading hospitality charity Springboard has led more than 10,000 people into employment through its initiative, which launched in October 2020.

The scheme has supported people from all walks of life including Ukrainian refugees, care leavers and those with mental and physical health conditions.

Launched to help the industry rebuild from the ongoing impacts of the Covid pandemic, ‘Springboard to 2022’ sought to tackle the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry's long-term staffing crisis by ensuring an engaged, skilled talent pipeline to fill vacancies.

The charity has now surpassed its initial target, helping more than 10,000 people nationwide secure jobs in hospitality. Of the 10,000, 56% were male and 46% were female, with 85% aged under 30. A total of 40% went into front-of-house roles, 25% into the kitchen, 15% into reception jobs, 8% into cleaning, and 12% into support roles, including marketing, finance or maintenance.

Among the trainees, Maryna Tonka, a single mother who fled the war in Ukraine to find shelter for herself and her daughter in Scotland, has secured work as an F&B assistant at the IBIS South Bridge in Edinburgh. Tonka signed up for the training hoping to learn new skills to help her overcome the language barrier faced in Scotland and enable her to find employment.

Discussing her experience, Tonka said: “As a refugee from Ukraine, I wanted to be useful to the country sheltering us. As part of my training, I learned valuable skills such as how to work in a team and how client relationships differ between Ukraine and Scotland. The training was hugely valuable and has helped me find a job I truly enjoy.”

Springboard supports people into jobs via a range of employability training programmes which include one-to-one mentoring, soft and hard skills development and access to work placements for participants to gain hands-on, practical experience. 

Discussing the success of Springboard to 2022, Chris Gamm, CEO of Springboard, said: “We're delighted to have reached and exceeded our goal, helping more than 10,000 people find employment this year. Hearing how the programme has changed the lives of participants, many of whom faced challenges such as mental or physical health conditions and the war in Ukraine, makes this achievement even more meaningful.

“Knowing we've been able to support the hospitality businesses we work with as they continue to face staffing challenges resulting from Brexit and Covid-19 is also incredibly positive, and we look forward to furthering this next year."

For more information on Springboard to 2022, visit https://springboard.uk.net/support-us/springboard-to-2022/



 

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