Gatsby Benchmarks
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HILTON: We need to work
more closely with schools
Travel & tourism accounts for almost 10% of global employment
and is expected to create 73 million jobs by 2022. We spoke to
Hilton’s Kathryn Porter about its work with young people.
KATHRYN PORTER
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH STRATEGY EMEA, HILTON
How does Hilton engage
with schools?
Hilton’s workforce is 35% millennial and, in 2014,
we committed to opening doors for 1 million
young people by 2019, connecting with,
preparing or hiring them. We work with schools
and are very engaged with the local community.
With the Gatsby Benchmarks, schools are much
more structured in what they want from careers
activities. We talk about the hospitality industry
as a whole, not just Hilton.
We also offer a structured 5 to 10-day
work-experience programme, where students
are exposed to different sectors. People are
amazed by the variety of careers in hospitality.
Does work experience lead
to apprenticeships?
One objective is to inspire individuals to come
back and work with us as apprentices, but it’s
also about supporting people to find out what
they’re good at and what they enjoy. That might
not be in hospitality, but they can still go away
with enhanced skills in communication and
critical thinking.
HILTON APPRENTICESHIP ACADEMY
How do you reach out and
appeal to young people?
By using our own stories (the good, the bad and
the ugly), which help young people make sense
of our world. We curate these in Instagram. I love
working in hospitality and I’m happy to share my
experiences because they might not be what
you would normally expect from working in
the industry. One of our most active participants
is our senior vice president for continental Europe,
who showcases people across our business,
from apprentices in kitchens and leisure to senior
people in ecommerce.
It’s also about understanding what young
people want. Progressing up the ladder for 15
years isn’t attractive any more. It’s about entering
the workplace and taking lateral moves to gain
different experiences – hospitality is a great
industry for that.
Hilton offers Level 2,3 & 4 apprenticeships
across areas including:
Professional
cookery Exercise and fitness
Food and beverage Sales
Facilities
Front desk
would encourage their child to do an
apprenticeship as opposed to a degree, which
is a big shift. There is momentum towards
creating an equal playing field for apprenticeships
and degrees. It’s about individual preference and
the best way of learning.
A great resource for young people is the
Young Apprentice Ambassador Network. I’ve
spent a lot of time with young people in that
network and they’re great at sharing stories and
their achievements.
Are employers more open
to the apprenticeship route?
I hear more people talking about apprenticeships
being the route forward. Barclays did a recent
piece of research which found that 71% of parents
POPPIE TILLEY,
ABOUT HILTON
Hilton is a leading global hospitality
company committed to creating
opportunities for youth in hospitality.
bit.ly/HiltonYouthProgrammes
CONFERENCE & EVENTS ASSSISTANT, HILTON
Poppie Tilley joined Hilton St
George’s Park, Burton-on-Trent,
two years ago. She now works
as a conference and events
assistant and as a hub desk host.
42 // ROUTES INTO WORK
How did you find out about the
apprenticeship at Hilton?
I was in sixth form, studying for my
A levels and unsure whether I wanted
to go to university. I decided to leave
school halfway through my A levels.
Now, with an apprenticeship at Hilton,
I definitely feel I made the right
decision. The apprenticeship has
helped build my confidence and
the skills required to thrive in the
hospitality industry.
I came across the role online
and knew Hilton was a leading
brand that was recognised
worldwide. It sounded like a
great opportunity.
What do you do in your job?
I provide hospitality for various events,
including large meetings, and three-
course evening meals. I have also
worked a few weddings which I
always find exciting. Every event is
different, so there are new challenges
each day and we get to meet a wide
range of guests, such as football
teams from different countries. As
we have a large team, I work with
different people. My routine varies
on a daily basis.
However, my main responsibility
is to provide each and every guest
with excellent hospitality to ensure
that they have a great stay.
What do you like most about
working for Hilton?
I love saying I work at Hilton. I feel
passionate about my job. I like
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