The sector has been hit hard by COVID-19
A new youth employment program is looking to kickstart the hospitality industry as employers continue to be hampered by staff shortages and state-wide Covid restrictions.
The industry has been one of the hardest hit after continuous snap lockdowns over the last 15 months. Combined with an exodus of staff as migrants returned home, the pandemic has forced many popular establishments to close their doors for good.
But a new training program launched by the Restaurant & Catering Association (R&CA) aims to revitalise the industry and at the same time, equip young jobseekers with the skills they need to get started in employment. The PaTH program (Prepare, Trial & Hire) is a five-week scheme targeted at people aged 17 to 24. There is no cost to the intern or business owner to take part and for every intern a business owner takes on and trains, they will receive an additional $1000 of financial support from the government.
A number of industry heavyweights, including ex-head chefs, business owners and front-of-house professionals have put their support behind the program, offering mentoring throughout the scheme for both interns and employers.
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Speaking to HRD, Katrina Higham, head of training & education at the Restaurant & Catering Association, said the challenges of the past year have forced some business owners to make devastating decisions.
“Because of this, young job seekers are apprehensive about entering the hospitality industry as they may view it as an unstable or temporary career path,” she said. “The PaTH Program has been designed to help get the industry back on its feet by giving aspiring hospitality workers critical face-to-face training and invaluable hands-on work experience so that when the hospitality industry can operate at full capacity again, there will be a new generation of confident and skilled workers who will be able to help get this industry thriving once more.”
A survey of 54 restaurants and café owners conducted by R&CA earlier this year indicated a need for 1800+ interns. With the international borders set to remain closed well into next year, it’s imperative for business owners to encourage more young jobseekers into the industry to create a thriving pipeline of talent.
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“The talent shortage in the hospitality industry is at an all-time low, which has only been magnified by the ongoing pandemic,” Higham said. “Hospitality businesses are not only having to deal with the crippling effects of constant lockdowns, but they’re also dealing with struggling to find skilled staff to work for them when they are open.”
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With vaccination rates climbing steadily and the promise of taking lockdowns off the table, the road to living with COVID-19 is finally in sight. It’s hoped a high vaccination coverage of 70 or 80% will give residents and business owners more certainty over what the future looks like.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has already begun discussing incentives for double jabbed residents, which could include things like dining outdoors at venues as soon as next month. Like Singapore, where venues have now reopened to those who are fully vaccinated, the plan offers a ray of hope for Australia’s hospitality industry.