HCIMA does a grand job

HCIMA does a grand job

I feel sad that Jeremy Ryall has felt it necessary to write such a negative and misleading letter about the hospitality industry and the HCIMA, "Home truths from an old hand" (Caterer, 22 July, page 18).

I can assure Ryall that present-day students have a good understanding of the hospitality industry, as research from HCIMA's Hospitality Adding Value for Education project has shown. Of students surveyed, 80% work to supplement their income, and 52% of those are employed in hospitality-related occupations. Of that number, 77% reported that they found the experience to be enjoyable.

Ryall's claim that HCIMA membership is a waste of money unless "one is of a sociable bent" clearly illustrates his ignorance of the association's work. He has obviously not heard, for example, about our initiatives in setting standards, such as the Hospitality Assured standard for service excellence.

The association also initiated the Accreditation of In-Company Schemes programme to enable busy and aspiring managers to undertake Continuing Professional Development within their own working environments, and gain points towards qualifying for grades of HCIMA membership.

It would be impossible to list here all our services and initiatives, which range from career guidance to the ongoing work of our committees and working parties.

I recommend that Ryall reads our monthly magazine Hospitality to catch up on all the association's news and that he peruses the forthcoming HCIMA pages in Caterer (see 26 August issue) where our current work will be outlined.

We agree with Ryall that it is important to be knowledgeable about potential future employers. In this respect, we can help people research potential employer companies through use of our Information Research Centre.

However, the one area in which he might be disappointed is the HCIMA membership fee. Our subscription rates are some of the lowest of any industry body in the country and would not, as Ryall claims, "buy a nice life-insurance plan".

My message to people such as Ryall is: Please get your facts right before criticising our excellent industry and the work of organisations such as the HCIMA. We are doing everything we can to ensure that the enormous potential predicted for our profession in the millennium is fulfilled.

David Wood, Chief Executive, HCIMA, London SW17.

Don't write off all head-hunters

I must add my comments regarding the letter "Nightmare of a hunter's quarry" (Caterer, 15 July, page 20).

The author should, indeed, have learned the lesson of not registering with "cowboy" recruitment agencies or so-called head-hunters.

Unfortunately, these are springing up on every street corner and tarnishing the image of professional search companies.

If your writer had contacted a reputable company, he/she would not have been subjected to this kind of treatment.

The writer goes on to state that employers should never use head-hunters for fear of damaging their reputation, and vows never to recommend anyone to a head-hunter.

If one has a bad meal or service in a restaurant, one does not state that all restaurants are poor and should never be used again.

The writer should try contacting the few legitimate companies whose consultants are specialists in the hotel, leisure and tourism sector and note the difference in service provided to clients and applicants alike.

Robin van Praag , MRI/Humana (France), Marseille, France.

Basic living isn't too much to ask

Roddy Watt comments about graduates throwing in the towel when the working conditions do not suit or match expectations (Caterer, 22 July, page 18). This is true, but why shouldn't at least some of our expectations be met?

Live-in accommodation and free meals are two of the many incentives cunningly devised to entice graduates with large overdrafts into the industry which they have spent some three or four years studying.

All graduates are intelligent enough not to expect Ritz-style accommodation or Michelin-starred food, but they do require clean and sanitary conditions in which to live, with hot water and adequate heating.

My experience of staff accommodation is that is has been disgraceful, and I believe that key issues of health and hygiene are being missed.

As for food on duty, a little variety - not, shall I have hot or cold chips? - and a thought to nutrition would be nice.

Throughout my 15 months as a graduate trainee manager I have learnt a great deal and gained some excellent experience, which I will take with me to my new job in a competitor company.

If some of my basic expectations had been met then I would still be working for the company with which I chose to carry out my graduate training.

Joanne Fishlock, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.

Why some things never change

I read with interest Garry Hawkes's comments concerning catering colleges (Caterer, 22 July, page 4).

I am a little surprised, however, that this has only now been observed in 1999.

I went to college in 1976 and the same practices occurred then: colleges taking students without the minimum academic requirements and without interview solely to fill their vacancies.

On starting my three-year course there were two groups of 32 people. By Year 2 we were down to one group of 30. Only 20 students completed the three-year course.

Today's problems are not new, as my 23 years' experience can testify, but why has the industry not changed in some areas while, clearly, it has greatly improved in others and can now be considered a good career?

There must be a concerted effort by industry leaders to ensure we are attracting and retaining good-calibre personnel in our industry.

Patrick Wall, General Manager, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, Kent.