UKHospitality has marked the successes of a transformational year at today’s 24th annual Christmas lunch.
Since its creation earlier this year, UKHospitality has gone from strength to strength, enjoying membership growth of 20% and vital campaigning successes, saving the sector £2.4bn in additional costs. Hospitality remains the third largest sector private sector employer and last year generated 1-in-8 of all new jobs.
UKHospitality’s reiterated its objectives of cultivating an environment that enables the sector to deliver its forecast of up to 6% growth, 30,000 additional jobs and 200,000 apprenticeships.
Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls (pictured), reported on the successful development of the UKH Academy, which provides ‘Gold Standard’ learning in line with a wide range of apprenticeship standards, funded either through the apprenticeship levy or subsidised by the government. The Academy also tailors learning for the employer to meet the needs of their business, while ensuring transferability of skills to equip learners for work across the sector.
Nicholls said, “2018 will be remembered as a key year for the sector, in which we created a single voice that was well heard during a turbulent year. Our industry is a rewarding and exciting industry in which to work and we are increasingly being recognised as such.
“Our work continues to see us fighting for a fair and balanced environment that enables our vital sector to flourish and we will continue to help politicians and the media understand our economic, social and cultural contribution. A top priority for the coming year is the people challenge; developing and building on the sector deal announced last month, countering the potentially devastating effects of the Government’s planned post-Brexit migration strategy and also promoting the sector as a great place to work, grow and develop.”