BTEI Wexford's Hospitality Course -
Tour of Kelly's Resort Hotel
Back To Education Initiative (BTEI) Wexford have been working in conjunction with 7 local Wexford Hotels on a new hospitality programme. The hotels involved are Kelly’s Resort Hotel and Spa, the Farmers’ Kitchen, Clayton White’s, the Ferrycarrig Hotel, the Talbot Hotel, Whitford House Hotel and the Riverbank House Hotel.
The programme took place for 3 days per week over 20 weeks and 15 participants have completed it.
BTEI delivered QQI Level 3 restaurant service skills, QQI Level 4 Customer Service, HACCP training, manual handling and basic first aid and the hotels are providing the work experience for the QQI Level 4 Work Experience module. Some of the hotel managers have been guest speakers during class and recently Mr. Eamonn Dempsey, Operations Manager of Kelly’s Hotel provided the learners with a tour of the hotel.
This was a fantastic opportunity for the learners to see behind the scenes of the hotel and the highlight of the morning was getting to see their newly furbished multimillion state of the art kitchen.
Everyone was then treated to tea / coffee and biscuits. Here the learners had the fantastic opportunity to meet Mr. Bill Kelly, proprietor of Kelly’s Hotel and his daughter Laura who is also on the management team. They both spoke to the group about the hospitality business, its opportunities and what will be expected of them in their work placements.
The tour and speeches gave the learners a huge feel good factor because the management team and staff of Kelly's Hotel are extremely passionate about their work. It has a lovely feel of a close family rather than a work environment, yet at the same time it was very clear that they expect a very high standard from their staff and expect all staff to treat the customers like royalty. In Mr. Bill Kelly's own words "I have never paid wages, the customers always have”.
Feedback from the learners was that it was a great experience to see the inside story of such a successful hotel.