Travelodge recruits two thirds from LEP programme

Travelodge has found two-thirds of its new recruits this year using the Local Employment Partnership (LEP) programme, the budget hotel chain has announced.

Since January 2008, the company has employed 130 of 192 (67%) staff through LEP - the initiative where employers pledge to give job interviews and work placements to unemployed people specially trained by Jobcentre Plus.

This figure is well above the 25% target set by Travelodge, when it became the first hospitality operator to sign up to the LEP scheme last October.

Chrissie Herbert, Travelodge HR director, said: "I can't recommend LEPs highly enough. If you consider the cost of advertising versus the cost of using LEPs you can see why. We are saving thousands of pounds on the cost of recruiting in a time when every company is reviewing its spending."

However, despite the success, Herbert said she would not revise the 25% target for LEP recruitment for the 55 new hotels in coastal towns Travelodge is building.

"The calibre of candidates this year has been high, but that isn't guaranteed," she said. With this in mind we feel 25% is realistic and attainable target."

InterContinental Hotels Group, JD Wetherspoon, Compass Group, Marriott, Roast restaurant and Center Parcs have signed similar deals. Around 1,400 employers across all sectors have signed up to date.

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By Helen Gilbert

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