Galvin Restaurants has become the first UK firm to sign up to City & Guilds’ Global Certification for Hospitality ahead of its launch this week.
The skills recognition scheme, the first of its kind, attempts to provide clear endorsements for skills and experience acquired by employees by showcasing their development through a digital system. Staff will be able to work towards goals set out under the City & Guilds scheme, then showcase their skills to employers through digital badges and certification awarded by the body.
Individuals working in the industry, from cleaners and casual staff to senior chefs and general managers, will be able to register for the scheme in May.
Chris and Jeff Galvin were both involved in designing the certification, which is aimed at tackling the UK skills shortages in the sector.
Chris said: “Our industry faces two major problems. The first is that there simply aren’t enough people – not enough to fill the vacancies. The second is that too few people at all levels, from school leavers to university graduates to mature workers, see hospitality as a career they want to pursue.
“There is a perception that it is a low-grade sector, but in fact the reverse is true. We are a young people’s industry and progress in a career can be both rapid and lucrative.”
Goals in the scheme will be mapped to incorporate key abilities outlined by City & Guilds, and will include the approach and ambitions of individual employers.
City & Guilds’ Jeremy Dahdi, executive director for international and digital credentialing, added: “We have used the latest technology available to generate 21st-century, mobile and data-rich digital badges. There are huge advantages for both those wanting to work in the industry and employers looking for skilled staff with the right attitude.
“Instead of having paper certificates, individuals can now provide a digital footprint of their career against standards that have been co-designed with leading employers.
“We’ve worked closely with Chris and Jeff Galvin to make sure that the framework is realistic and easy for any hotel, bar or restaurant to adopt. We know that all leading hotels and restaurants have their ‘bibles’ – you might call it the ‘Galvin Way’ of doing things for example. Our Global Certification meshes seamlessly with these individual operations manuals.”
