Marriott signs deal with JobCentre Plus

Hotel group Marriott has committed to offering a number of job opportunities to the long-term unemployed by signing a Local Employment Partnership (LEP) with JobCentre Plus.

Under the terms of the deal, agreed last week, Marriott will aim to fill 20% of all entry-level vacancies through the LEP, and has committed to work trials, pre-employment training and mentoring.

It has vowed to launch LEPs across its UK estate of 55 hotels, which employ around 10,000 staff. Roles available include a range of hotel positions including room attendants and food and beverage and cleaning positions.

Patricia Rainey, cluster director of human resources for Marriott in Scotland, said the agreement reflected the need for hospitality employers to investigate different ways to address skills shortages.

"In our industry, the supply of good people presents a challenge. We have a huge range of posts to fill from serving food and drink, to working on front desk, in maintenance and in our leisure clubs," she said. "We are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year so need to operate very flexible working patterns."

Marriott's trials of LEPs were a resounding success, according to Rainey. "Step by step we are offering work trials and mentoring across every hotel," she said. "We are already starting to see the results with some truly committed and hard-working people coming through."

Budget hotel group Travelodge was the first hospitality employer to sign an LEP, agreeing a deal in October last year. Since then InterContinental Hotels Group, JD Wetherspoon, Compass Group and Center Parcs have signed similar deals. Around 550 employers across all sectors have signed up to date.

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By Daniel Thomas

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