EDUCATION TRAINING NEWS

Top employers and chefs from Cornwall’s hospitality sector delivered a week-long lineup of demonstrations and masterclasses to inspire the next generation at Truro and Penwith College.

Paul Ainsworth, Rick Stein Group, Michael Caines Collection, St Austell Brewery, Watergate Bay Hotel, Healeys and Flying Fish Seafoods were just some of the 20 employers serving up the mouth-watering sessions.

The annual ‘Employer Week’ was organised by tutors and the college’s Hospitality Table Cornwall project. The week was designed to inspire students while increasing awareness of the varied careers in the sector and raising aspirations as they rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the industry.

Mark Lewin, training and development consultant at the college, commented: “A huge thank you to the chefs and employers for offering students an incredible opportunity to hone their skills. The experiences will stay with them throughout their training and well beyond as they embark on careers in the sector.”

COOKING UP A STORM

SPACE APPRENTICESHIP LAUNCHES

Applications have opened for the south west’s first space apprenticeship.

Developed and delivered by Truro and Penwith College’s Cornwall Space and Aerospace Technology Training (CSATT) project, the two-year Space Engineering Technician Apprenticeship allows learners to gain the future skills needed to work in spacecraft manufacturing and design, satellite telecommunications and rocket propulsion.

The first apprentices will join the programme in September, splitting their time between the workplace and the new £7 million Valency building, part of the South West Institute of Technology at the Truro College campus.

The college’s University Centre is enhancing the apprenticeship with an additional HNC in Space Technology that learners will study alongside their apprenticeship at no cost.

Heidi Thiemann, space project manager of the College’s CSATT project, said: “As opportunities in space in Cornwall continue to grow, we’re excited to know that our future students will be working at the forefront of space exploration. Our apprentices will be key to providing businesses with the next generation of skilled workers.”

Martin Tucker, principal at Truro and Penwith College, added: “This new, groundbreaking apprenticeship is a hugely exciting development for one of the key sectors in Cornwall’s future economy.”

Leisure and Tourism businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of an influencer’s ability to market directly to the business’ target market. However, it is important to fully understand the rules and regulations of influencer marketing, one of which is the need to comply with consumer protection law, which can and has been enforced by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

WHAT IS THE LAW?

The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) aim to prevent unfair practices being used by traders and businesses when dealing with consumers. They include a duty for businesses to act in a fair and honest way, which extends to the way leisure and tourism is marketed – including ad content on social media and any advertisement by influencers or social-media content creators.

The regulations prohibit businesses from omitting, hiding or presenting information in an unclear way on social media to promote a service where a business has paid in some way (including gifted stays) for the promotion without making that clear in the content that it is advertorial content.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

Businesses, social-media platforms, social media influencer agencies and influencers are responsible for ensuring compliance with CPRs. The business has a responsibility to ensure that all posts promoting them are compliant with consumer protection law.

The CMA has statutory powers to investigate any breaches, which could lead to a case being brought against your business, so it is important that businesses understand these regulations and implement risk-mitigating strategies for online brand promotions.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Almost 3,400 people have started an apprenticeship in Cornwall with the latest figures showing that numbers have held steady despite disruption caused by the pandemic.

Latest available figures published by Cornwall Apprenticeships, which is a free service aimed at helping local employers take on apprentices, show that in the 12 months to July 2021 there were 3,390 apprenticeship ‘new starts’ in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This compares with 3,400 in the previous 12 months, a drop of just ten.

The number of people taking advanced and higher-level apprenticeships increased significantly by 130. And almost half of all people who started an apprenticeship were over 25, in increase of almost 10% year on year.

Health, public services and care remain the most popular professions to start an apprenticeship, followed by retail and commercial enterprise; business, administration and law; and engineering and manufacturing. Although both these latter categories saw a drop on the previous year. Construction, planning and the built environment was also a popular area.

Cathie Kessell, employment and apprenticeships lead at Cornwall Apprenticeships, said: “We’re hugely encouraged to see Cornish employers continuing to take on apprentices despite the impacts of covid, and to see a significant increase in advanced and higher-level learning.”