Apprenticeships

Business

You’re Hired

General Manager Dai Morgan outside The Harbourmaster Hotel.

The Harbourmaster Hotel’s General Manager Dai Morgan with apprentice Megan Hawkins.

General Manager Dai Morgan (seated left) with Cambrian Training’s Head of Hospitality Chris Bason and Training Officer Hazel Thomas and apprentices Ioan Davies, Zak Pegg, Ynyr Lloyd Jones, Steffan Walker and Megan Hawkins. Whether you’re a thriving hospitality business wishing to expand or looking to start a career in catering, an Apprenticeship Programme could be the way forward. Aberaeron’s Harbourmaster Hotel is a great example, having found a skills solution with home-grown apprentices.

A shortage of hospitality industry workers across Wales has encouraged one of the country’s top hotels to grow its own skilled staff using the Welsh Government’s successful Apprenticeship Programme. Gwesty’r Harbourmaster Hotel enjoys a quayside setting at Aberaeron on the beautiful Cambrian Coast, has 13 luxury boutique style rooms, a busy bar and is a highly regarded restaurant.

The independently owned business is totally focused on providing a high standard of customer care and visitor experience to maintain its excellent reputation across the UK. Staff are encouraged to embrace the Welsh language and culture and to develop their knowledge of Welsh food and drink provenance to share with guests.

As part of their apprenticeship learning experience, the hotel’s chefs have enjoyed the opportunity to expand their fine dining knowledge and dish presentation skills by working with Michelin-starred chefs Gareth Ward from Ynyshir Restaurant with Rooms, near Machynlleth and Hywel Jones from Lucknam Park Hotel and Spa, near Chippenham, who both cooked at the Harbourmaster.

A strong commitment to Apprenticeships has enabled Gwesty’r Harbourmaster Hotel to maintain a workforce of 40 highly trained and motivated staff. Over the past five years, the hotel has trained 20 apprentices, currently has 11 on its books and there are plans to recruit more.

The hotel has worked closely with award-winning, pan-Wales apprenticeship training provider Cambrian Training who deliver a range of qualifications including BIIAB Level 2, Apprenticeships in Professional Cookery Level 2 and Level 3, Hospitality Supervision and Leadership Level 3 and a Higher Apprenticeship in Hospitality Management Level 4.

The Apprenticeships in Professional Cookery include opportunities to progress to the Applied Ability Awards (AAA) Craft Cuisine Level 2 and 3 and Professional Cuisine Level 4 qualifications, which have been designed by chefs. This commitment to Apprenticeships was recognised in October when the hotel was shortlisted for the Small Employer of the Year Award at the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru. The event is an annual celebration of outstanding achievement in training and apprenticeships across Wales. “Our business is based in rural West Wales and despite being a holiday and visitor destination, we still face issues of staff availability, particularly Welsh speaking staff, which is an important factor for the business,” explains the hotel’s General Manager Dai Morgan.

“We take pride in the fact that we nurture homegrown staff to reach their potential whilst working within their home county where they contribute to the local economy. It has been our aim from the outset to develop a strong team at the Harbourmaster and this has been possible as a result of the Apprenticeship opportunities.

“On-the-job training is a valuable asset to any business as it enables the learner to develop skills and knowledge whilst working. It has been noticeable that staff members on the Apprenticeship Programme have shown improvement in their work, a better commitment to the job and a mature confidence in their dealings with hotel guests. “It has been invaluable to us to have had the training costs met by Welsh Government.” Apprentice Zack Pegg, 23, who is working towards an Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery and a AAA in Craft Cuisine, is a commis chef at the Harbourmaster who has worked there for two years.

“I think Apprenticeships are very good because they allow you to earn while you learn in the workplace, which is a win-win situation,” he said. “I would 100 per cent recommend an Apprenticeship to anyone looking for a job in the hospitality industry.

“The Harbourmaster is a great place to work and I have an excellent training officer in Hazel Thomas who is also a very good chef. If I had my time again, I would go straight from school into a job and an Apprenticeship rather than going to college because I think I am much more focused learning in the workplace.

“I have always wanted to be a chef and love being in the kitchen when it’s at full throttle. I like the variety of the work and cooking with great, locally sourced Welsh ingredients.”

Chris Bason, Cambrian Training’s Head of Hospitality, said: “Gwesty’r Harbourmaster Hotel exemplifies how being committed to an Apprenticeship programme can bring success to an organisation.

“The Harbourmaster is committed to ensuring that visitors from all over the world are shown a real Welsh welcome which will be remembered long after they have left.”

The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund. For more information, please contact Katy Godsell, Cambrian Training’s marketing manager, on tel: 01938 555 893 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations adviser, on tel: 01686 650818 or 07779 785451 or by email: duncan@duncanfoulkespr.co.uk.