Talk through the changes
The momentum behind industry training initiatives must not slow as the NTOs are replaced by SSCs, says Peter Taylor.
Considering the very diverse nature of the hospitality industry, we can congratulate ourselves on the way in which employers across the board have come together to address the biggest single issue facing us all - the people and skills shortage.
Only a few years ago, it would have been a rare event for senior management figures from the disparate sectors to sit down together to jointly develop a strategy and plan of activities for solving their shared problem.
This now happens on a regular basis, thanks to the efforts of the trade bodies working with our National Training Organisation (NTO), the Hospitality Training Foundation (HtF).
We are keen to ensure that this united approach continues despite the industry-wide changeover from NTOs to fewer, but enlarged, Sector Skills Councils (SSCs).
We, as a leading industry body, support the formation of SSCs and look forward to the benefits of an organisation that can incorporate the wider themes of hospitality, travel, tourism and leisure.
Our SSC will have a seven-figure budget to put against bridging the skills gap, and this can only be to the benefit of our members.
However, the successes that the new council will no doubt achieve would not be possible without the hard work of our NTO over the past few years, and we would like to take this opportunity to say a public "thank you" to John Brackenbury and the team at the HtF for providing such a strong foundation for the new organisation that is to follow.
We will not be saying farewell to the HtF. We want to ensure that the team continues to contribute to the industry skills debate. Continuity is critical if we are to build on the excellent work that has gone before.
Now that we have come this far, with employers buying into a range of initiatives, it is vital that we maintain the momentum.
NTO status disappears this month and the formation of the SSCs will follow quickly. It is a potentially confusing time, but I would appeal to any employers reading this not to put training on the back burner while the exact details are sorted out.
The Government is looking for SSCs to be demand-led. They want employers to continue to drive the training and skills agenda, so please keep talking to the HtF.
If you have any questions about the future, the best person to speak to is Declan Swan, Director of the HtF, on 020 8579 2400, or contact your trade association. We are all keen to ensure that the good work carried out to date is not neglected in this transitional period.
Peter Taylor is chairman of the British Hospitality Association
