Caterer.com > Careers advice > Training

How to train up without shelling out

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:26:54 Z

We all know that the way to get ahead in your career is to develop skills. This is especially the case in the hospitality jobs. Whether it's training in a new style of cooking, health and safety training in your bar, training in an aspect of accounting, customer service, management, or something else, it can all help you to take the next step up to more responsibility, authority and pay.

The problem is that sometimes employers can be reluctant to provide this type of training. It can be expensive after all, and in these many organisations are still cutting back on non-essential spending.

So, what do you do? You should first remind your employers that training is in fact essential spending. You’d be right, after all! You could look for a new job, which offers move more prospects to further your training. If you need extra skills however, to impress those employers, you'll need to get a bit inventive, but don’t give up. And if you're not working at the moment, it's a fantastic opportunity to beef up your CV.

Resolve instead to take matters into your own hands. Get out there and train yourself. There are plenty of places you can go to get free, or inexpensive, training. In fact, here are four online courses you can take straightaway that will give you skills in four essential areas. It will take around 20 hours to complete, so do an hour a day every weekday for a month. And they're all under fifty quid, too!

1. Time Management

Wasted time costs British businesses £80 billion per year. Learndirect's online course, which costs just £39.99, and takes two and a half hours, will give you a three-step process for prioritising your daily workload, making the right decisions about what to do and what to postpone, and so vastly improving your productivity. You can get it it here: http://www1.learndirect-business.com

2. Food Hygiene & Safety Certificate

Food hygiene and safety is a high priority in almost every hospitality environment, so you will do your chances of career progression no harm at all by brushing up your skills in this area. This online course, which costs just £25 plus VAT and takes two hours matches all UK and EU legal requirements, and following completion you will be issued with a certificate. You can get it it here: http://www.food-certificate.co.uk

3. Excel Spreadsheets

You know how whenever you see your manager all he or she seems to be doing is staring a spreadsheet on a computer screen? Well, in preparation for your move into management maybe it’s time you learnt to use that mystifying but essential piece of computer software. For £49.99 you can get Learndirect’s Excel 2007 Introductory and Intermediate courses. These take eight hours to complete, but by the end you will be able to how perform complex calculations, create and work with larger spreadsheets, use charts to highlight trends and even publish your data on the web. You can get it here: http://www1.learndirect-business.com

4. Management skills

Management skills training consultancy MTD charges many hundreds of pounds for its full training courses, but you can get a taster – and some useful tips on how to manage people and projects – by signing up to its free email course. MTD will email you the course in five stages, and you complete them in your own time and at your own pace. Sign up here: http://www.m-t-d.co.uk/freecourse.htm

- What's better, exams or experience?
- Scholarships in hospitality jobs

Job searches

- Search for hotel jobs
- Search for restaurant jobs
- Search for contract catering jobs
- Search for pub/bar jobs

Scholarships in hospitality

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:26:36 Z

What is a scholarship?

Most scholarships come in the shape of a nice fat cheque – payable to an education body. For instance, a promising student might be awarded a grant towards all - or part - of their training or further education. However, in the hospitality industry the great thing is that scholarships have morphed into training bursaries or prestigious work experience for winners of industry-sponsored competitions.

Note that scholarships shouldn’t be confused with apprenticeships or financial aid such as the Education Maintenance Allowance. You can get more information on these from: http://www.delni.gov.uk

The benefits of being awarded a scholarship

If you’re lucky enough to bag a scholarship, the obvious advantage is that you get either all or some of your college, university or training fees and accommodation paid for – but unlike a regular grant you don’t have to repay it.

In addition, there’s the kudos of having been singled out. Put it on your CV and you’ll be impressing future employers for years, not to mention fast-tracking your career.

It’ll also open doors to exclusive networking clubs. Check out, for instance, the St Julian Scholars, which is the alumni for graduates of the Master Innholders Scholarship Programme.

How to get a scholarship

You need to do a bit of groundwork if you want to apply for a scholarship in the hospitality industry. For a college or university scholarship, your best bet is to do a search on websites such as: http://www.scholarship-search.org.uk.

For career-enhancing scholarships, keep abreast of announcements in the industry press by signing up to the CatererNews Twitter feed or subscribing on the CatererNews site. Alternatively, you can approach the bodies direct (see list of main scholarships).

You may have to apply up to a year in advance, so keep an eye on deadlines
Fill out any application forms clearly and concisely

Each scholarship will have different criteria. You may, for instance, have to:

Make a presentation in person or via video
Write a presentation
Have achieved certain qualifications or grades
Declare your income
Display exceptional skills in your job
Fall into a specific age bracket
Provide references
Win a competition in cooking, service, etc.

What are the main hospitality industry scholarships?

Several universities, such as Thames Valley University and Westminster Kingsway, offer scholarships. For instance, at Westminster Kingsway, there are professional restaurant, patisserie and chef scholarships. All are delivered on a one-week per month basis for two years, with practical experience in a top restaurant during the rest of the time. Your employer pays for your college training – about £1,500.

The Academy of Culinary Arts Specialised Chefs’ Scholarship: More of an advanced apprenticeship, this helps would-be chefs aged 16-19 to achieve NVQ Level 3. It is arranged by the Academy of Culinary Arts and Waitrose, and managed by the Bournemouth & Poole College. All tuition, accommodation and travelling costs to college are paid for. Practical training is provided by top hotels such as the Dorchester in London and Chewton Glen in Hampshire. More information from: www.notgoingtouni.co.uk

The Acorn Scholarship: The aim is to help a young professional aged under 30 to realise their ambitions. The winning scholar of this self-nominated award receives a £2,000 bursary to use with professional development, £1,500 worth of coaching sessions and more. Find out more at: www.acornscholarship.org.uk

Roux Scholarship: The winner of this cooking competition for chefs aged 22-30 trains under a leading chef at a three-Michelin star restaurant in Europe for up to three months - plus other career-enhancing opportunities. www.rouxscholarship.co.uk

Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland’s annual Emerging Talent Scholarship: Every year Scottish hospitality professionals vie for scholarship training at venues such as the Disney Institute in Florida, Ecole du Hotelier in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration in New York State. More details on: www.hitscotland.co.uk

Master Innholder Scholarships: Short management courses are funded by the Savoy Educational Trust and Worshipful Company of Innholders. The courses are reviewed each year and are currently offered at Cranfield University in the UK, Cornell University in the USA and L'Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne in Switzerland. Get more info by clicking on to: www.masterinnholders.co.uk or www.mi-scholarships.com

Information for international students

Most scholarships for study in the UK are funded by the British government, but awarded through your own government. Your first port of call, therefore, is your own ministry of education. Alternatively, drop into your local British Council office or British Embassy.

Bear in mind that competition to study in the UK is strong and unless you’re a European Union national you need to secure the scholarship before you’ve left home. Also, you usually have to apply at least one year before your course starts

Get more details on http://www.educationuk.org or http://www.studyoverseas.com/uk/uked/scholarships.htm

Alternatively, research websites relevant to your own country. For instance, Indian students can check out the Uniguru site

- Coming to work in the UK - all you need to know
- How to train up without shelling out
- What's better, exams or experience?

Job searches

- Search for hotel jobs
- Search for restaurant jobs
- Search for contract catering jobs
- Search for pub/bar jobs

How Springboard could help with your hospitality career

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:26:21 Z

The name gives you a clue – in a nutshell, Springboard is an organisation that acts predominantly as a starting block, by first helping young, unemployed and disadvantaged people launch their career in the hospitality, leisure and tourism industry, then providing ongoing support.

As chief executive Anne Pierce says: “We provide the first port of call for advice and guidance for anyone looking to enter or in this industry and help them make the first steps along the way to a successful career.”

Why is it needed?

Well, mainly because despite all the TV exposure for chef jobs, many people choosing their career paths know little about the range of opportunities on offer -- in addition, unemployment is growing and more people than ever need a helping hand. The industry needs it for two reasons: one - to improve perceptions, and two - because of the industry's incredible growth.

In fact, since Springboard was set up 20 years ago, the industry has become one of the biggest employers in the UK – the hospitality sector alone employs 2.3 million people.

Getting down to the nitty gritty, there are two sides to Springboard. The Springboard Charity develops links with schools, colleges , universities, jobcentre Plus and youth agenices, and delivers educational and career programmes to students and adult jobseekers through its free CareerScope service, among others. Advice and guidance is provided through a website, helpline, careers materials, publications, DVDs and one-to-one appointments, work tasters and placements, and into-work programmes.

The other side, Springboard UK, is the commercial arm which, as well as raising funds to support the charity’s work. Equally as important, it works alongside employers to improve the image of the industry and to promote it as a career choice and provide bespoke solutions to HR and CSR priorities. This, in turn, helps the industry attract home-grown talent and address the ongoing skills shortage spawned by its seemingly unstoppable growth.

Springboard’s main programmes

Here are a few of the main Springboard initiatives that have been helping jobseekers across the UK to get the most out of their hospitality career:

The Springboard Ambassador Programme is open to talented go-getters already employed in hospitality. The two-day training course develops presentation skills, confidence and industry knowledge in these fledgling ambassadors so they can go on to promote the industry and their employer as a great place to work and an exciting career choice. [www.ambassadors.springboarduk.net]

FutureChef is a UK-wide culinary programme that gives schoolchildren aged 12-16 a taste of the joys of cooking. The four-stage competition inspires young people to explore cooking as a life skill, helps to develop their culinary talent and opens up the possibility of a career in the hospitality industry. The annual event attracts no less than 7,000 competitors from 600 schools and involves about 1,000 chefs as mentors and judges, including celebrity chefs such as Brian Turner, Michael Caines, Cyrus Todiwala, David Mulcahy and Steve Munkley. [www.futurechef.springboarduk.net]

The Savoy Gastronomes' Olive Barnett Award is open to anyone under 30 working in a customer-facing role in the industry. Organised by Springboard, the winner walks away with a career development grant from the Savoy Educational Trust to the tune of £1,750 a year for two years. They also get to spend a week on the Lausanne Executive Education Programme as donated by the Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland.

Springboard’s Get Into Work - Summer School is a fun, informative training programme for school and college-leavers aged 16-25. During the three-week stint, young people can gain three industry-related certificates and enjoy some hands-on practical work experience. Besides promoting the fact that hospitality is a stimulating long-term career option, this scheme also offers Springboard business partners a rich source of potential new recruits.

Education and resources

Thankfully, hospitality is one industry where you can fulfill your ambitions while you’re still young enough to enjoy them. To that end, Springboard offers a range of tools and resources to help school-age children find their way into a college or apprenticeship, and to assist college leavers in moving their career forward. Check out some of the help available:

Teaching aids: There’s a dazzling range of free hospitality-related educational services, including computer programs, games, training packs and resources, for those involved with teaching the new Diploma curriculum for 14-19 year-olds.

Student aids: Like the teacher’s aids, these include computer programs, games, DVDs and publications. For students at the career stage, check out the CareerScope website and magazines.

Work placement advice for employers: By signing up to INSPIRE, businesses commit to providing the most effective work experience for young workers.

Business partnerships: Springboard’s membership scheme is for industry employers who show that they invest in their staff. As partners, they can access a number of Springboard services, bespoke advice and campaigns -– as well as enjoying a raised profile among the three million potential recruits a year that Springboard taps into.

Regular events for the diary

The Ambassador Award for Excellence. This glittering annual reception recognises the Springboard Ambassador whose enthusiasm and passion for the industry has most-influenced potential recruits.
An annual dinner onboard Bateaux London. Long-term sponsors Sodexo and Bateaux London invite past winners of the FutureChef competition back into the kitchen where they team up with guest chefs to cook a course each for 130 guests.
The Master Innholders Competition. Launched last year by the Springboard Charity, this competition is open to undergraduates in their final year on selected hospitality degree courses. Entrants upload an innovative 10-minute presentation on a given subject and await the judges’ verdict. The winners make their presentations at the annual Master Innholders conference in London.

For more information or to get in touch with Springboard, visit www.springboarduk.net or telephone 0207 497 8654

Job searches

- Search for hotel jobs
- Search for restaurant jobs
- Search for contract catering jobs
- Search for pub/bar jobs

Training dates for National Skills Academy for Hospitality courses 2010

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:25:52 Z

Customer service courses
Management and leadership programmes

Customer service courses

World-class customer service programme – professional level

A world-class customer service course that can make a vast difference to you and your team and give each individual the personal development they deserve. The programme will enable you and your team to gain the skills to improve performance, communication and customer service whilst creating confidence amongst the team to deliver to the highest standards. It will enable your organisation to execute better than your competitors, exceed customer expectations and enhance your competitive advantage, and also leads to a nationally recognised qualification.

This course will greatly benefit managers, supervisors and their front of house service team, each individual will acquire knowledge of product quality, speed of service and communication skills, to produce an experienced and positive team.

Location:

The National Skills Academy Hospitality Training Centre based at Travelodge, Coventry

Time:

1 day

8.30pm to 6.00pm

Course dates :

Tuesday 14th September – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 21st September – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 5th October – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 12th October – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 19th October – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 2nd November – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 9th November – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 16th November – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 23rd November – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 7th November – Academy Training Centre
Tuesday 14th November – Academy Training Centre

Booking information:

£85 (excluding VAT) per delegate

Book online at: www.excellencefound.co.uk

World-class customer service programme – coach level

A world-class customer service programme focused on the critical areas of management and leadership to deliver a tangible return on investment. The course will give you the coaching tools to pass on the skills, training and development to your front line team, engaging your staff to deliver world class customer service.

The programme will benefit managers and supervisors, addressing technical and communication skills, complaint handling, product knowledge, organisational aspects, selling techniques and customer expectations. From this programme you will have the knowledge to effectively coach your team into providing a warm and friendly service, enhancing the customer experiences and gain competitive advantage.

Location:

The National Skills Academy Hospitality Training Centre based at Travelodge, Coventry

Time:

2 days including the professional level

8.30pm to 6.00pm

Course dates:

Tuesday 28th September
Tuesday 26th October
Tuesday 30th November

Booking information:

£190 (excluding VAT) per delegate (includes the professional level)

Book online at: www.excellencefound.co.uk

Management and leadership programmes

‘Experience the Business Behind the Magic’

The National Skills Academy for Hospitality works closely with Disney Institute, a well respected organisation with a highly regarded professional and training approach in leadership excellence, inspirational creativity, service quality and brand loyalty.

Disney Institute is a world class trainer and gives you and your team an opportunity to learn and experience from one of the world’s most respected brands, enhancing leadership and business skills. Each of the training programmes will raise your skills and knowledge, facilitating your organisation to deliver the best customer service.

Location:

Millennium Gloucester Hotel and Conference Centre, London

Programme schedule:

14th September – Disney’s Approach to Quality Service

Booking information:

Single ticket: £395 (plus VAT). Caterer.com jobseekers pay just £355

Group bookings also available

Disney Institute Executive Trip

Experience world-class leadership development with this exclusive opportunity to attend training courses at Walt Disney World, with a behind the scenes tour and insight into this accomplished worldwide brand.

Booking information:

The trip will take place over a five-day period with accommodation at a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel.

The course price is £4000 (excluding VAT) per person, including transfers and some meals. Flights are not included.

For more information on the Disney Institute programmes and to book, please contact Christine Martin on 07810 884100 or by email on christine@peach-factory.com

Additionally, go the event website at www.excellencefound-disney.co.uk

Franklin Covey’s: ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’

An inspirational course designed to help you develop exceptional management and leadership behaviours and skills. Delegates will learn how take initiative, balance key priorities, develop their company mission and values whilst improving interpersonal communications.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

Habit 1 – Be proactive
Habit 2 – Begin with the end of mind
Habit 3 – Put first things first
Habit 4 – Think win – win
Habit 5 – Seek first to understand then to be understood
Habit 6 – Synergise
Habit 7 – Sharpen the saw

Location:

The National Skills Academy Hospitality Training Centre based at Travelodge, Coventry

Programme schedule:

3 day course - 23rd, 24th and 25th November.

9.00-5.30pm

Booking information:

This is a three-day open or company course costing £895 (excluding VAT) per delegate, this includes pre-psychometric test, book, CD, bag and certification.

Capacity management

Capacity management is a systematic approach, bringing consistency into your service quality while maximising volume throughput to develop customer growth and improve profitability.

Throughout this course, the individual will look at ways to improve their business by considering new approaches, developing feasible solutions that can be put into practice to improve capacity, productivity and sales.

The programme will be delivered by David Mchattie, CEO of the Hospitality Skills Academy.

Programme schedule:

Thursday 14th October 2010

One day course

8.30-5.00pm

Booking information:

£125 (excluding VAT) per delegate

Book online: www.excellencefound.co.uk

How to get the most out of training

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:25:26 Z

And no, it's not cheating in the test at the end! But we all know that some training courses produce better results than others, and that some trainers have a greater impact than others, but too few people realise just what an effect they, as the people being trained, can have on the success of a training programme.

All too often, we book on a course, investing significant amounts of our own or our employer’s time and money, and then just turn up expecting to emerge a few hours later a radically improved person. Sometimes it works, but be honest, how often do you think that happens? Quite.

Very often you need to put in the extra effort to get full value from the course. So heed the following advice:

1. Pick the right course

Rather than looking at a list of available courses and picking one that looks appealing, begin by identifying exactly what skills and knowledge you want to gain and why you need them. Focus on outcomes rather than activities. If you're already in work, discuss this with your manager based on, say, a recent appraisal.

For instance, how will a health and safety certificate help you in your hospitality career, and is there a particular aspect of health and safety that's most relevant to you? How will a people management skills course help you function better as a bar manager, and which management skills do you currently lack? Also, what sort of learner are you? Do you prefer practical or theory, or a mix?

Before signing up to any course, look closely at the credentials of the person delivering it, and try to find out how satisfied previous delegates have been. The National Skills Academy has a range of courses specifically for hospitality, so check out their website for ideas.

2. Prepare for it

Before the course, spend some time defining your objectives. This will help you approach it in a more focused way. Think about what will be covered and consider whether you need to do any preparatory reading beforehand. Find out in advance if you need to bring anything, and plan how you will get there, so you can arrive in good time, all your tools to hand, fully engaged in the topic and ready to learn.

3. Listen actively

Very few people learn by sitting and listening to someone talk. We learn when we are actively engaged. So, take notes. Don’t write down everything the trainer says, but do jot down the key points. This isn't so much to help you remember what was covered – there will probably be a handout for that – but more to keep you alert and actively listening.

In the same way, ask questions. Don’t be afraid of looking stupid or worrying you're holding things up. Your trainer would much rather you fully understand everything, and, far from holding up the group, you’re probably asking the questions that everyone else wants to ask. What's better? Sitting in a training session, nodding away and not having a clue what’s going on, or getting the trainer to clarify things you're not sure of?

4. Keep it real

It's likely your training course covers some theoretical aspect of the hospitality industry. At every stage relate it back to the day-to-day reality of your work. How can you apply that idea to your hotel job? What would that process look like in practice in your kitchen? Jot down your thoughts. If you’re not sure how it applies to you then ask the trainer.

5. Discuss with other delegates

In coffee breaks, or over lunch, chat to the other people on your course. Do this whether or not you already know them. Find out what they are picking up from the course and how they plan to apply it. They might offer you a fresh perspective that you’d not considered before. Or they might turn out to be a useful contact for the future. Or they might just be someone nice to chat to.

6. Reinforce immediately

Your learning should not stop the minute you leave the training room. From that point on, you need to actively reinforce and embed what you’ve learnt. So, on the way home read the handout, review your notes, and write down a plan for implementing what you’ve learnt to discyuss with your line manager on your return.

7. Review your progress

Spend a few minutes each week or month looking back at your plan and assessing your progress. Are you using what you learnt? If not how can you get back on track? Do you need to change the plan, or do you just need to stick to it more rigidly?

It may be that you need to contact the trainer to discuss it. Perhaps you misunderstood a key point. Or perhaps you’ve just forgotten some small but crucial detail. A quick phone or e-mail conversation with the trainer could rectify this and get you back on track.

Don’t be afraid to do this. After all, the trainer wants you to achieve your objectives, if only so you can be a satisfied customer talking positively to his or her future customers.

- What sort of learner are you?
- How to train up with out shelling out
- Hospitality qualifications
- What are transferable skills?

Job searches:

- Search for hotel jobs
- Search for restaurant jobs
- Search for bar jobs
- Search for pub jobs
- Search for catering jobs
- Search for chef jobs

- Search for hospitality jobs

7 habits to success

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:24:58 Z

Tony Hughes has a lot of job titles. Not only is he the ex managing director of Mitchell's & Butlers, but he’s the non-executive for Restaurant Group plc and a board member of The National Skills Academy for Hospitality.

So all in all, he’s a pretty busy guy.

It goes without saying that most hospitality jobs require organisation, especially for those in management roles like Tony. Caterer.com caught up with him to talk about how Dr. Stephen Covey’s book, 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' changed not only his working relationships, but his life as a whole.

"I was given a first print copy of the book in the late eighties while working in Dallas with TGI Friday’s. I knew that Norman Brinker, the icon of Brinkers Restaurant Group, was a huge fan. I wish I’d read it when I was 18; it would have made a big difference to my life.

"In 1993 I attended the Stephen Covey Principle Centred Leadership Centre at Sundance Valley, Utah. and ever since, I’ve been implementing the principles [of the Covey Seven Habits] of balancing short term requirements with the long term needs of business, helping people to become effective rather than just efficient."

The seven habits of highly effective people:

Be proactive
Begin with the end in mind
Put first things first
Think win - win
Seek first to understand, then to be understood
Synergise
Sharpen the saw

Tony continues by saying, “We all want to help our people and teams to become as effective as possible, but there’s big difference between being effective and being efficient. In difficult economic situations many companies focus exclusively on cost reduction in their quest to become ever more efficient, often leading them to go out of business in a highly professional and organised manner.

"Balancing the short term requirement to cut costs must be balanced with the long term need to grow sales. It’s not ‘either/or’ — it’s both."

Another raving fan of the course is Karen Forrester, managing director of TGI Friday’s UK, who was introduced to Covey through Tony when he was at Mitchells & Butlers.

"Our industry attracts people with a certain passion, who put everything into it. This can affect work/life balance. Karen Skingley (a licenced Covey facilitator) trained sixty of my general managers at TGIF. It improved how they approached tasks and helped them be more efficient at what they do. [Managers] always find it so helpful for their development."

Training, coaching and development are essential for any hospitality business to be effective and successful. The title of the book says it all, really. After all, who wouldn’t want a team or business full of 'highly effective people'?

The good news for us hospitality lot is that The National Skills Academy for Hospitality are now working with Karen Skingley, who is delivering the programme for the hospitality industry over a three day training course.

You can find out the dates and prices on the NSA’s website: www.excellencefound.co.uk or alternatively, contact frances.sturt@hospitalityskillsacademy.co.uk

How to get the most out of training
Training dates for National Skills Academy for Hospitality courses 2010
How to restore a good work-life balance
The 7 signs you're working too hard

Job searches:

Search for manager jobs
Search for management jobs
Search for hotel jobs
Search for restaurant jobs
Search for bar jobs
Search for pub jobs
Search for catering jobs
Search for chef jobs

Search for hospitality jobs

What sort of learner are you?

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:01:17 +0100

We know you want to acquire new skills. It is after all how you get on in any career, not just for jobs in restaurants or contract catering, for instance.

And it can be frustrating when, no matter how hard you concentrate, no matter how determined you are to get the most out of your training, sometimes it just doesn’t quite work. Well here’s some consolation: it may not be your fault – it may just be that the training doesn’t suit your learning style.

Everyone learns in different ways. Some are suited to hearing logical explanations of why something works in a classroom setting, while others like to work online, at their own pace, discussing examples of when something worked well. There are many other different styles or 'models', including combinations of the above styles. Take this online learning styles test to find out which category you fall into.

Here are five questions you can ask yourself whenever you’re getting the feeling it’s not sinking in as well as it could. Try changing the way you’re learning it and see if it makes a difference. It could be the difference between getting a qualification or not.

1. Auditory, visual or kinaesthetic

Some learn through hearing, others through seeing, and a third group through doing. So, try all three out and see which works best for you. Do you like to have an expert explain it to you? Do you like to read about it or see a graphic representation of the topic? Or do you learn best by doing something, making mistakes, and trying again?

2. Classroom or coaching

While many people engage best with a formal, classroom style of learning, such as in a college, others are more comfortable with less structured, on-the-job coaching. Increasingly, training providers are recognising that people learn best when theory delivered in a classroom is reinforced in a practical setting over time. It's the classic exams vs. experience debate.

3. Intensive or slow-paced

Some people like to see the entire picture and learn a whole subject in one go. It helps them to see how everything fits together. Others prefer to have topics broken up, and drip-fed to them over a longer period of time.

4. Social or solitary

You might be one of those people who learns best on their own in a quiet room, or you might find it better to be in a lively, energised space with people to bounce ideas off. If one method isn’t working try the other.

5. Reason or storytelling

Finally, there's the division between logic and intuition. Some people prefer to understand exactly why something works. If they have a rational explanation, they can fix it firmly in their minds. Others engage better with a subject if they're told stories about times when it did work. It fires their imagination and helps them picture themselves using that skill or knowledge.

Bear in mind that neither approach is right or wrong, and also that your preferences may vary depending on the subject matter and your mood at the time. The important thing is to be aware there are different styles of learning, so if one approach isn’t working, just try another one.

- How to get the most out of training
- How to train up with out shelling out
- Hospitality qualifications
- What are transferable skills?

Job searches:

- Search for hotel jobs
- Search for restaurant jobs
- Search for bar jobs
- Search for pub jobs
- Search for catering jobs
- Search for chef jobs

- Search for hospitality jobs

What's better – exams or experience?

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:43:57 +0100

For many years, we’ve been told by career advisers that the best way of securing a job is through formal qualifications. But staying at school and studying isn’t for everyone, and some of us wanted to get out and work as soon as we possibly could. We cut up our school ties as we boarded the bus outside school and never wanted to see a whiteboard or teacher again.

To counter this, the government has been coming up with an increasing number of vocational qualifications such as those offered by City & Guilds and other ways of encouraging you to stay in work – like reducing the amount of benefits you can get, or keeping the minimum wage at little more than £3.50 an hour for those under 18. Of course, having a qualification will mean that you have a wider range of jobs to choose from, many of them at a higher pay rate.

Experience is everything - or is it?

But surely experience counts for a lot? So if you’re already in work, why bother going through the hassle and stress of studying all over again? You’re earning enough, after all. You’re in your comfort zone. So what would happen if you were to be made redundant, or a new manager started? How easy would it be for you to find a better job, with more money attached?

If you search for hospitality jobs on Caterer.com you'll see that many of the more senior positions require at least some experience – in fact, of 4500+ hotel jobs, 3000+ restaurant jobs, 600+ contract catering jobs and 800+ pub and bar jobs available now, around 70% insist on experience, many of the others say it would be beneficial, and hardly any say none is needed at all. So does that mean you’ll be okay with just what you’ve learned on the job? Well, actually, no, since many of the ones which ask for experience also ask you for some qualification or other.

So where does this leave you?

Well, by going out there and working, you’ll be fulfilling half your side of the bargain: it proves you can be trusted and that you can get on in a team, it proves you can do the job. But it doesn’t prove that you know more about, say, food hygiene, than anyone else applying for the job. This is the sort of thing a qualification can help with.

Knowledge is key

What employers are really looking to find out is how much you know. Qualifications provide knowledge, but experience also leads to knowledge. You might find an employer happy to help you along the road by not asking you know anything already – but, of course, your pay will reflect that. So, to maximise how much you’re about to earn, for your first job, you’ll probably find it best to go to college and get that all important first qualification. Even if it’s just an NVQ Level 1, it’ll help give you a leg up, from which you can then gain valuable experience.

Once you’re in the job, you can then make the decision as to how much more study you want to do – you might even decide that you want to do a part-time course so you can study and work at the same time. Many employers will give you time off to do this – and some will even pay for it – they'd just ask that you don’t resign as soon as you’ve completed it!

- How to train up without shelling out
- Scholarships in hospitality jobs

Job searches

- Search for hotel jobs
- Search for restaurant jobs
- Search for contract catering jobs
- Search for pub/bar jobs

Caterer.com > Careers advice > Training

How to train up without shelling out

1. Time Management

2. Food Hygiene & Safety Certificate

3. Excel Spreadsheets

4. Management skills

Related articles:

Job searches

Scholarships in hospitality

What is a scholarship?

The benefits of being awarded a scholarship

How to get a scholarship

What are the main hospitality industry scholarships?

Information for international students

Related articles:

Job searches

How Springboard could help with your hospitality career

Why is it needed?

Springboard’s main programmes

Education and resources

Regular events for the diary

Job searches

Training dates for National Skills Academy for Hospitality courses 2010

Customer service courses

World-class customer service programme – professional level

World-class customer service programme – coach level

Management and leadership programmes

‘Experience the Business Behind the Magic’

Disney Institute Executive Trip

Franklin Covey’s: ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’

Capacity management

How to get the most out of training

1. Pick the right course

2. Prepare for it

3. Listen actively

4. Keep it real

5. Discuss with other delegates

6. Reinforce immediately

7. Review your progress

Related articles:

Job searches:

7 habits to success

Related articles:

Job searches:

What sort of learner are you?

1. Auditory, visual or kinaesthetic

2. Classroom or coaching

3. Intensive or slow-paced

4. Social or solitary

5. Reason or storytelling

Related articles:

Job searches:

What's better – exams or experience?

Experience is everything - or is it?

So where does this leave you?

Knowledge is key

Related articles:

Job searches