Letters

Industry has the answer to shortage of staff

The most significant question our industry faces is upon us - can tourism become an employer of first choice?

The Department of National Heritage (DNH) has just issued the third publication in its series, Tourism: Competing with the Best, entitled People Working in Tourism and Hospitality.

Reporting on current and future human resources issues, this cannot provide solutions to our industry's employment problems. Only we within the industry can choose to change and improve.

I believe that if every past and present employee within tourism had sold this profession to friends and family we would not have the staffing problems we face today. Our businesses rely on recommendation for sales - apparently not for man- and woman-power.

For generations we have failed to promote good staff conditions. Why? Because it's a cost, not a profit generator, apparently. But those supporting Investors In People (IIP) say just the opposite - and pay isn't even the issue within IIP.

I suggest that the minimum wage may become statutory and our industry may be dragged, screaming, to the altar, expecting to be sacrificed but instead finding itself at a wedding. We have the finest business brains in Britain guiding our industry's extraordinary growth. Let us be seen to give and take.

I invite all chairmen of major companies to commit themselves to a response - in this publication - to the DNH document and how they plan to respond to the challenge it lays before them.

The response to that should be interesting. Shall we give them a month? No, let's say by the end of January 1997.

WR HUNTER

Address supplied.

Top question for job-hunters

Ian Tippet's letter from America lists 10 penetrating questions to ask candidates in an interview. My own favourite is "What is the most important consideration when running a business?" There is only one correct answer - profit - but the variations given are usually very enlightening.

ERIC MARSH

Proprietor,

Cavendish Hotel,

Baslow, Derbyshire.

You can help these little heroes

I would like to draw to your attention to a little-known group of more than 40,000 children in the UK, some as young as six, who are having to work at home, looking after sick or disabled parents, brothers or sisters.

It's a labour of love. These children are losing their childhood and are often burdened with being responsible for the health and well-being of a sick or disabled member of their family.

Just ask yourself: would you like to have your young child burdened with that responsibility?

These families need help. They also need a holiday. We aim to offer both, but the project needs funding and we are solely supported by voluntary donations.

We would like to hear from any hotelier, guesthouse owner or caravan park operator who would be willing to donate a holiday to one of these families or a group of young carers accompanied by support workers.

The charity is keen to set up a fund-raising group in your area. If you would be willing to help raise funds, organise an event, start a local fund-raising group or help in some other way, we would delighted to hear from you.

Our initial aim is to raise £160,000 as soon as possible to purchase a permanent holiday centre which could provide up to 2,000 holidays every year.

For more information on the charity or how you could help, please contact our fund-raising office: FACT, 10 Hopkins Lane, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2EL. Tel: 01626 202073.

PETE STANBURY

FACT Co-ordinator,

Newton Abbot, Devon.

Be precise about redundancy

I agree with Carolyn Beech that it may be unwise to mention redundancy in a letter of application or CV.

However, part of the confusion is that the term "redundancy" is often used incorrectly as a euphemism for "being dismissed". I wonder how many prospective employers on seeing the "R" word assume that the applicant has lost their job for reasons not connected with redundancy and wrongly reject them?

When the term is used correctly, it is not the employees that are made redundant - rather the jobs that they do. By using expressions such as "the job was made redundant, resulting in the loss of my employment" may enable the candidate to explain openly his circumstances at the same time as reassuring the reader.

ADRIAN STOKES

Independent Catering Adviser,

Kings Langley, Hertfordshire.

Party time for managers

A time for celebration next year. The Catering Managers Association of Great Britain and the Channel Islands will be 50 years old. Our main event for the year will be in France in October 1997.

We are gathering the details of past officers of the association and trying to locate them. We would be grateful for any assistance or information about the association over the past 50 years.

In addition to this mammoth task we are also gathering a list of companies which were founded in 1947 who will also be celebrating their 50th anniversary.

PAUL WENHAM

National Chairman,

Catering Managers Association,

30 Ollgar Close, London W12 0NF.

College launches hall of fame

Everybody knows what has happened to restaurateur and celebrity chef Paul Heathcote since he left Bolton College, but what has become of some of his fellow students?

That is the question being posed by our renowned catering department, which is planning to set up a "hall of fame" at the college as an inspiration for current students.

Staff estimate that up to 20,000 students have passed through the department over the years, many of whom have gone on to successful careers in the industry. Now they would like to hear from them.

Malcolm Large, lecturer in charge of the college's Grosvenor Restaurant, says: "We know of some success stories already. As well as Paul Heathcote, one of our former students is now general manager of the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, and one is general manager of national catering firm Leatherby & Christopher.

"The catering industry is the third-largest employer in the country, though, and there must be many more out there.

"We would especially like to hear anything about John Bailey, who was a student here in the 1970s and, I am told, now has his own TV programme in Australia. I have also heard about a female student who is now working in Hong Kong.

"We hope to be able to compile a comprehensive list of former students and their achievements to provide role models for our new students who are about to embark on a career in catering."

If you, or someone you know, studied catering at Bolton College and now works in the industry, the college would love to hear from you. Write, stating when you were at college and what you have done since, to: Malcolm Large, Bolton College, Manchester Road, Bolton BL2 1ER.

MARTIN BUSH

Media and Information Officer,

Bolton College.