Whitbread Teams Up With The Prince's Trust To Combat Youth Unemployment

Released on: November 03, 2011, 3:52 pm
Author: Premier Inn
Industry: Travel

Whitbread has joined forces with youth charity, The Prince's Trust, to pilot the 'Get into Hospitality' programme in the West Midlands, which is set to provide local disadvantaged young people the skills and confidence to find a job.

Twelve unemployed young people aged between 16-25 years will be given the opportunity to join a free, two week training programme, to learn all aspects of the hospitality sector.

Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, which includes the UK's biggest budget hotel brand, Premier Inn and pub restaurants Beefeater Grill, Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns, will launch the programme on Monday 10th October. More than three in four young people supported by The Prince's Trust move into work, training or education.

The first 'Get into Hospitality' programme will run in Barn and Hockley Heath, and consists of 10 days of support and training at Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants' 'Skills Academy' in areas such as self-confidence and interpersonal skills, as well as site placements which will provide a firsthand experience of the hospitality industry and practice their new found skills.

Individuals will not only gain a qualification in Foundation Food safety, but will also receive six months of mentoring support from The Prince's Trust following the completion of the programme. Whitbread is hoping to be able to offer positions to many of the participants and the successful participants will be given the opportunity to complete a Whitbread apprenticeship, including an NVQ level 2.

Whitbread Hotels and Restaurant spokesman, Malcolm Redmond commented: "It is worrying to hear that around one in five young people in the UK are not in work, education or training, costing the UK economy £155 million a week in Jobseeker's Allowance and lost productivity. We are delighted to be working with The Prince's Trust to provide an opportunity to get these young adults back into the world of work and on their way to building a future within the hospitality sector."

A Prince's Trust spokesperson added: "The Prince's Trust's 'Get into Hospitality' course provides a great opportunity for young people to gain valuable work experience to help them find a job. We are thrilled to be working with Whitbread to ensure that we are doing all we can for disadvantaged young people here in the West Midlands."

-Ends-

Notes to editors:
*The Prince’s Trust, The Cost of Exclusion, 2010

About Premier Inn:
Award-winning Premier Inn is the UK’s biggest hotel brand with over 600 budget hotels and more than 46,000 rooms across the UK and Ireland. Premier Inn bedrooms feature en-suite bathrooms, TV with Freeview, and WiFi internet access. All Premier Inns feature a bar and restaurant; situated inside the hotel or adjacent, offering a wide range of food choices.

In 2008 Premier Inn launched in Dubai and is now open in Bangalore, India. On a domestic front, Premier Inn aims to be the largest provider of budget hotels in London (within the M25) by 2012.

Premier Inn is currently offering rooms for just £29 (restrictions apply). Visit www.premierinn.com for full terms and conditions.

Premier Inn supports WaterAid, the international charity whose mission is to overcome poverty by enabling the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Premier Inn, as part of Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, hopes to raise £1 million for WaterAid.

About The Prince's Trust:
Youth charity The Prince's Trust helps change young lives. It gives practical and financial support, developing key workplace skills such as confidence and motivation. It works with 13-to-30-year-olds who have struggled at school, have been in care, are long-term unemployed or have been in trouble with the law. The Prince of Wales’s charity has helped more than 650,000 young people since 1976 and supports 100 more each day.

PR Contact:
Vanessa Lee
Frank PR
3rd Floor
Centro 4
20-23 Mandela Street
London
NW1 0DU
0207 693 6999
www.premierinn.com

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