Folio Hotels’ Chef School wins prestigious award

Chef School, Folio Hotels’ innovative work-based learning programme for trainee chefs, has won a prestigious industry award. Folio Hotels was presented the award for Best Initiative to Attract Chefs at the Springboard Awards for Excellence 2007 at a ceremony at The Dorchester, London, on Thursday 17th January.

Chef School aims to give young people looking to enter the hotel and catering profession their first step on the career ladder. Through the scheme, trainee chefs complete a thorough and structured training programme during their first year of employment, culminating in a formal qualification and enhanced career opportunities.

Folio Hotels operates thirty five hotels throughout the UK and introduced the scheme to help attract young talent to the industry. The scheme is run in partnership with VT Training. As well as working towards their Level 2 NVQ qualifications, the learners will acquire invaluable workplace experience and take part in a range of off-site activities including visits to Covent Garden and Billingsgate markets.

The Springboard Awards for Excellence, now in their fourth year, reward and showcase outstanding practice in addressing one of the industry’s most significant issues – attracting and retaining people.

Martyn Ball, learning and development operations manager at Folio Hotels comments: “Folio Hotels’ Chef School is a great example of the advantages of work-based learning as opposed to more conventional, college-based courses. As an employer, we benefit from the full-time commitment of our young chefs while at the same time they gain the opportunity to acquire a range of skills and real-life experience, as well as an invaluable qualification. We’re delighted that the programme has been recognised by our industry peers and to win this award.”

Anne Pierce, chief executive of Springboard, said: “I continue to be heartened by the initiatives employed by the industry to create a pool of talented staff of the highest calibre. The judges felt that Folio Hotels’ Chef School was an excellent entry which had hit the ground running with impressive results, and was a great example of partnership working."

Folio Hotels also runs a programme to attract and train front of house staff, Reception School. The 12-month programme is designed to produce highly trained and qualified receptionists and pave the way to management positions within the hotel industry.

For further information visit Foliohotels.com/careers.