We are delighted to annouce that The Cavendish, London have been shortlisted for four awards:

Visit London 

Sustainable Tourism Award 
Outstanding Customer Service Award

For more details please click here

Hotel Cateys

Ben Malpass - Front of House Manager of the Year award and he has also been shortlisted for the Golden Keys Concierge of the Year .

For more details on the hotel Cateys click here

For more details on the Golden Keys click here

Good luck from Springboard! 

Visit The Cavendish, London careers website.

Emma Jenkins is the HR Director of The Vineyard at Stockcross, Donnington Valley Hotel & Spa, Donnington Valley Golf Club part of the Peter Michael Collection and takes part in our Q&A session on key issues relating to the industy.

Q - Why should employers be supporting the new Diploma in Hospitality?
A - The new Diploma in Hospitality offers a fantastic opportunity for employers to be involved in education and really make a difference to the quality of tomorrow’s employee.  It is essential that with employer involvement we create a qualification that really adds value not only to our businesses but to the level of learning that is achieved and to enhance the skills gained before entering the world of work.

Q - The importance of Work Experience and the benefit it has on the businesses?
A - Basic work experience should first and foremost offer the student undertaking it a good basic knowledge of the hospitality industry and the variety of careers that are available.  To go one step further, it should open their eyes to a world where the only limit to where they can go is their desire to succeed.  As an employer we need to remember if we give them a boring task that does not inspire them, then they may not choose our industry.  We need to create interest, excitement and passion because today’s work experience students are tomorrow’s employees and our managers of the future.

Q - Why helping your local Catering College is important part of business planning?
A - Firstly it is great to build relationships with your local college as it offers a very real opportunity to the students to experience what the industry is like first hand.  It also gives the employer a great opportunity to source employees who have a passion and desire to enter the industry and it keeps you abreast of changes within education.

Potential industry recruits may not be aware that many military, school, college and hospital sites rely on foodservice companies to deliver their high quality catering services.

Several distinguished foodservice management organisations are set to change this by ensuring they have a strong set of Springboard Ambassadors to go in to schools, colleges and universities to inform and encourage young people to persue a career in our industry.

Sodexo is one such organisation who asked Springboard to train two cohorts of Springboard Ambassadors earlier this year and already several of them have made a real impact.

Sodexo chef, Ian Grout, has already organised and been a judge at a young chef competition at Queen Anne’s School. Ian has also held demonstrations at a London school, helped some students create and develop their CVs and gave them some insight into what to do when going for an interview. Since he qualified as a Springboard Ambassador in April this year, Ian has already worked with more than 200 young people – all of this in addition to his very demanding day job. Well done Ian keep up the good work!

Another Sodexo Ambassador is Peter Bartholdy. Peter has been working very hard at supporting The Doncaster Move On Charitable Project. This is a project for young people coming out of the care system who are homeless or in danger of becoming so.

Peter has been teaching the young people one of the most important life skills of all – how to cook! Peter will be giving regular cookery lessons, teaching basic cookery skills and the group will work towards putting together a Gala Dinner run along the lines of Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Hell’s Kitchen’!

Well done to both these hard working chefs who are prepared to take time out of their busy schedule to put something back into the community in their roles as Springboard Ambassadors.