DuPont Teflon joins Think Again campaign
DuPont Teflon has become the latest firm to support Caterer and Hotelkeeper‘s Think Again campaign, which aims to inspire tomorrow's hospitality professionals by highlighting to young people and career advisers the career opportunities that hospitality can provide.
DuPont Teflon, which manufactures the well-known, non-stick coating, this year launched the Diamond Standard Awards, targeted at A level and college students across the UK.
The awards aim to reinforce skills and reward creativity and excellence in the young caterers, chefs and hospitality professionals of tomorrow.
Research recently published suggests that 93% of hospitality professionals surveyed think the hospitality industry suffers from a skills shortage, while 78% also believe young people are discouraged from entering the hospitality sector.
The Think Again campaign aims to reverse these findings and build a stronger and more engaged generation of talent for the future of Britain's hospitality industry.
Wilbert Broeksmit, Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA) marketing manager for Teflon Consumer Finishes, said: "The report by the British Hospitality Association states that the UK hospitality industry can create 475,000 jobs by 2020. This underlines what we as a company have identified, namely that the professional sector is a growing and dynamic one and that it needs a labour pool which is both skilled and motivated.
"DuPont Teflon is the market leader and category innovator. We stay in that position by investing in our consumers, educating and driving growth into our markets, and supporting end users, manufacturers and retailers of cookware and bakeware. The Think Again campaign is perfectly aligned with all our objectives as a business and as a brand, and we are very pleased to support it as well as partnering with Caterer & Hotelkeeper as a media sponsor for the Diamond Standard Awards."
Dupont Teflon, which is both founder and administrator of the Diamond Standard awards, is running the scheme in conjunction with sponsors including Tesco; LeChef Chefswear; cookware and bakeware licensees Imperial; Europasonic; ICB - the UK distributor of the Teflon® baking liner; and GERS - supplier of the DuPont Teflon colour collection.
The panel of judges is chaired by celebrity chef Lesley Waters and includes among others: Tesco regional home economists; Anne Pierce, chief executive of Springboard; and Mark Lewis, group editor of Caterer and Hotelkeeper.
DuPont Teflon are joining with their sponsors to provide UK schools with free high quality nonstick coated cookware and bakeware for the first 100 teachers who register for entry packs.
Lesley Waters said: "DuPont Teflon are well-known for investing in youth, local communities and grass roots programmes to build long term awareness of healthy eating issues. Investing in the catering hospitality segment of the market is leading by example and demonstrates outstanding ethics and civic responsibility, by supporting the next generation of chefs and rewarding innovation and excellence."
By Neil Gerrard
E-mail your comments to Neil Gerrard here.
If you have something to say on this story or anything else join the debate at Table Talk - Caterer's new networking forum. Go to www.catererandhotelkeeper.com/tabletalk
Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs
Looking for a new job? Find your next job here with Catererandhotelkeeper.com jobs