Hospitality Rising launches £5m recruitment drive

Grassroots organisation Hospitality Rising has won official support from the Hospitality & Tourism Sector Skills Board (HTSB), becoming the strategic face of the industry's biggest ever recruitment campaign.

Recent figures show there are currently 400,000 vacant roles across the sector, highlighting the extent of the industry's growing talent crisis. 

The HTSB will work as part of the government and industry's new initiative – the Hospitality Sector Council. 

The endorsement cements Hospitality Rising as the official industry response to the growing skills shortfall. The organisation – which is the brainchild of senior marketer Mark McCulloch (pictured) – has earned backing from the likes of UKHospitality (UKH), the BII, the British Beer and Pub Association and other leading industry bodies. 

A number of industry employers have also pledged their support, including Pret A Manger, Athenaeum, Buzzworks, DRG, Hawksmoor, Hilton, The Pig Hotel & Limewood Group, Punch Pubs, Rosa's Thai, Wahaca, Welcome Break and more. 

Hospitality Rising's official recognition marks the start of a sector-wide fundraising campaign launched by ex-Pret A Manger marketer McCulloch last year. McCulloch will now take the role of campaign director, reporting to the HTSB as the organisation proceeds with efforts to raise up to £5m. The group is encouraging employers across the country to invest in the campaign, pledging just £10 per employee. 

'A call to action for industry colleagues to come together'

On his new official status, McCulloch says: "To be approved as the industry's official campaign and response to the recruitment crisis is amazing. It means we can really accelerate what we are doing with Hospitality Rising – we can now go stratospheric.

"We see this approval as a call to action for industry colleagues to come together and get behind the campaign, not just emotionally but, importantly, financially too, as we seek to build a campaign war chest. This will allow us to drive our message out to the UK public, tell all our fabulous stories and make hospitality a positive career choice for the very many, not the few."

UKH chief executive Kate Nicholls has expressed her support for Hospitality Rising, saying: "The campaign cannot come soon enough. Our latest research shows the issues of recruitment and skills are absolutely mission critical to the hospitality and tourism sectors. Many of our members are struggling with a significant level of vacancies; this campaign will enable hospitality to stage a vital intervention, and turn on a generation to the rich and varied roles and career pathways that our vibrant industry offers."

You may also be interested in…