Contract caterers need fund to boost image

A leading consultant has called for the contract catering industry to set up a "fighting fund" to attract employees and combat the industry's dull image. Dick Turpin, chairman of the Turpin Smale consultancy, said: "The perception of contract catering is still of a canteen. We need to do some focussed research into the 16 to 35 year-olds we aren't attracting. Also, we should be looking to recruit from other service industries and not just hotels and restaurants." He wants the fighting fund to finance the research and then draw up a model career path so that recruits to the industry can see clearly how they can progress. Bill Toner, chief executive of contractor Aramark thought the proposal was "a good idea," while Frank Whittaker, sales and marketing director of Compass, would only contribute to a collective fund if its objectives were very clear. He said: "Historically it's been difficult for competitors to share funding. Most of us are working hard on our own recruitment programmes." Bob Cotton of the British Hospitality Association and David Wood of the HCIMA pointed out that extensive research into recruitment strategies is already being carried out.The findings of a three-year hospitality management research project by the Higher Education Funding Council for England is to be published at the end of April. According to the latest salary survey from recruitment agency Mayday, 85% of contract caterers are short of skilled personnel, and 80% have difficulties recruiting semi-skilled workers.