Studying for the bar
Jason Prescott's promotion to assistant manager of one of Scottish & Newcastle's flagship outlets has been rapid.
A little more than 18 months ago, Prescott was working as a part-time glass-lifter at Malthouse Farm, a 127-seat Chef & Brewer pub-restaurant in Whittle-le-Woods, near Chorley in Lancashire. Now, as a result of his commitment to the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) scheme in pub management, which he joined in March 2001, he has been promoted to assistant manager of the Malthouse Farm, which, in addition to the Chef & Brewer pub, also includes an 83-bedroom Premier Lodge.
His success doesn't end there. In May, Prescott was named Employee of the Year for the Chef & Brewer brand. For someone aged only 18, who faced competition from more than 4,000 staff in 100 units, this was a major achievement.
The reason Prescott has done so well so quickly is that he has been given the opportunities to use his own initiative to develop through the MA scheme, to which Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) recruits about 150 young people every year. The Government-backed scheme is aimed at qualifying 16- to 24-year-olds to NVQ level 3 standard while at work. The apprenticeship in pub management can last as long as 26 months, but it can be completed in a shorter space of time if the trainee puts in the required amount of work - as Prescott did. Having joined the scheme in March 2001, he is likely to complete his training by the end of this year.
Prescott's manager at Malthouse Farm, Donna Telford, says that he is totally focused on his training. "He is very motivated himself and in turn is excellent at motivating other people - both very important attributes for this job," she says. "Working in pubs is all about working well with people, being able to communicate and develop the staff around you, maximising their strengths and dismissing their weaknesses. Jason has all these abilities."
The MA in pub management wasn't Prescott's initial plan on leaving school. Having achieved nine GCSEs, he went to college to study for a GNVQ in computing and A levels in maths and English. At the same time, he was working three or four shifts a week as a waiter at Malthouse Farm. However, he soon recognised that he wasn't happy at college and the most enjoyable aspect of his life was working at Malthouse Farm. So, after discussions with his parents and with Telford, Prescott was offered a full-time position at the pub-restaurant, with a view to joining the MA scheme.
"I was very keen to be doing a hands-on-job and to work face-to-face with people, rather than being stuck behind a computer," Prescott says. "At college, I had to work at a pace set for me; here, I have been able to move forward by achieving what I want to achieve."
While most of Prescott's training is done in the workplace, he also attends training sessions at other S&N units and at the company's head office in Northampton. As well as completing a company induction, he has also undertaken courses in basic food hygiene, first aid, health and safety, NVQ level 2 bar skills and key skills level 2. Currently, he is working towards an NVQ level 3 in supervisory management in licensed premises.
Although Prescott's work is in the front of house, he has spent some time training in the kitchen. "It is vital that he knows every area of the business, so that he can understand the different stresses the chefs have to deal with," Telford says.
Buddy groups
Every three months, Prescott, who is one of four modern apprentices at Malthouse Farm, meets up with his "buddy group", comprising 15 or so other S&N trainees in the area, to discuss different aspects of work. "It's good to be able to discuss our problems and realise that I'm not the only one who feels pressurised at times," he says. "It's also a useful way of learning about how other parts of S&N operate."
Assessment of Prescott's work is done on a day-to-day basis, backed by a monthly meeting with Telford to discuss his progress.
A typical day for Prescott begins at 6.30am, when he arrives for the breakfast shift. After greeting the staff, making sure the tills are in place and the music is switched on, the doors are opened to early-bird customers. While Prescott will help serve breakfast if things get busy, his role is to check that everything is running smoothly. After breakfast is over, he sits down with the rest of the staff to eat his own meal, before spending an hour or so on paperwork. Then, at 11am, it is time to open the doors to the public again for the lunch service. For the next four hours, he will be working in the bar and serving in the restaurant, as well as dealing with any mishaps.
Some days, Prescott will finish at three o'clock in the afternoon but, if he is on a split shift, he will be back in again at 6pm for the evening service. "I used to think I was missing out on a social life, but now some of the customers are like best friends and there is an aspect of socialising on the job," he says. "There is a great staff morale, anyway, so I don't worry about not going out every Friday and Saturday evening now."
Full Monty
A major aspect of the job that Prescott enjoys is the marketing of the business - both of Premier Lodge and of the Chef & Brewer pub-restaurant. During his training, he has initiated many innovative ideas for improving business. One of the most successful was a Full Monty Night in the pub-restaurant, resulting in sales increased by £1,000, as well as raising an additional £1,000 for a local cancer charity. A buffet was served to the customers, who were entertained with a striptease routine from the chefs. "It was a fantastic night," says Prescott. "It was great for staff morale, and the customers still talk about what a great night they had."
Prescott's ideas - which have also included the design and introduction of a popular take-away menu - undoubtedly contributed to his success in the Employee of the Year competition. He used his prize money of £500 to take 10 of his colleagues to the Alton Towers amusement park for the day. "I wanted to treat everybody because I couldn't have won the award without the support of all the staff around me," he says.
Prescott's immediate future will be in his new role as assistant manager, but in the long term he likes the idea of becoming a trainer himself, before eventually becoming a manager of his own unit.
How to join S&N's Modern Apprenticeship scheme in pub management
- HOW DO YOU APPLY? Potential candidates for the Modern Apprenticeship in Pub Management must initially complete an S&N company induction scheme and then be put forward by the manager of the unit that they are working in. To determine the availability of the scheme on a local basis, contact any S&N unit, or call the company's vocational trainer, Lesley Parkinson, on 01604 612473.
- WHO CAN APPLY? 16- to 24-year-olds.
- HOW LONG IS THE TRAINING? As long as 26 months.
- WHAT IS THE STARTING SALARY? £200 per week.
Scottish & Newcastle Retail
Lakeside House, The Lakes, Northampton NN4 7SN
Tel: 01604 239000www.scottish-newcastle.com
Interests: pub restaurants, branded pubs and bars, unbranded pubs and branded accommodation
Key brands: Chef & Brewer, Millers, Country Carvery, Bar 38, T&J Bernard, John Barras, Henry's Bar & Café, Original Pub Co, Bar & Kitchen, Premier Lodge
Number of pubs and pub-restaurants: 1,500
Number of employees: 30,000
Number of meals served annually: 40 million
Annual operating profit: £989.2m
Annual turnover: £4,199.2m
