Training and Education in Hospitality A Case Study of Macdonald Hotels

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Training and Education in Hospitality - A Case
Study of Macdonald Hotels

• Dr. Craig Thompson
• Managing Director
• Centre of Applied Tourism Hospitality
  Management
• Macdonald Hotels and Resorts

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Training Education Within Macdonald Hotels

• The HR time-bomb
• Macdonald Hotels Resorts
• Potential solutions
• Stairway to Success
• HNCs and HNDs
• Capstone programmes
• Quick to the Cut Chef programme
• CATHM, Centre of Applied Tourism Hospitality
  Management
• Outcomes
• Conclusions

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Macdonald Hotels and Resorts

• Over 40 hotels throughout the UK
• 10 resorts in the UK and Southern Spain
• 4 and 5 market, wide range of styles, locations
  and products
• AA Hotel Group of the Year 2007-8
• Over 4000 employees

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The HR time-bomb

• HLT generate 4.5bn for Scottish economy
• Objective to increase to 6bn by 2015
• 200,000 employees, 9 of total Scottish workforce
• But
• Unfilled vacancies are 5.3 of numbers employed
• 60 of vacancies are hard to fill
• An estimated 30,000 to 50,000 additional trained
  supervisors required in the UK by 2010
• The number and quality of applicants to
  hospitality and tourism programmes is declining

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Potential solutions

• Non UK workforce
• Greater emphasis on tertiary education
• Industry driven response

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Stairway to Success

• 5 stage programme, fully integrated programme
• Induction, Core standards and three levels of
  management
• Range of one and two day courses offered at each
  stage
• Capstone programme for high achievers offered
  at each level
• Short courses are pre-requisites for capstone
  programmes

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Capstone programmes

• Supervisory, Head of Department/ Operations
  Manager and General Manager levels
• Externally awarded by the UKs leading provider
  of leadership qualifications
• Candidates selected by application from across
  the Group
• Requires managers backing and support
• Assessment is based on, and feeds back into,
  actual operations

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HNCs and HNDs

• Partnership initiative with leading practical
  college
• Utilises college expertise and industry resources
• Programmes available to Macdonald Hotels staff
  and external employees
• 2 days each week for 10 months
• Hospitality Management and Professional Cookery
• Requires commitment from employers and employees

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Quick to the Cut Chef programme

• Response to key shortage in the industry
• Partnership of public sector, Macdonald Hotels
  and leading practical college
• 12-week intensive, residential, professional,
  work-based programme (3 x per year)
• Targeted at unemployed new entrants
• Offers externally recognised qualification, work
  experience and certificate, guaranteed job
  interview

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CATHM, Centre of Applied Tourism Hospitality
Management

• Swiss style, private centre of excellence for
  hospitality and tourism
• Backed by wide range of leading industry partners
• Offers applied certificates, diplomas and degrees
• Degrees are awarded by leading Scottish
  university
• Programmes are residential, professional, applied
  and contemporary
• Each stage comprises 15-week intensive taught
  programme and a 5 month managed industry
  internship

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Outcomes

• Increased retention
• Increased motivation
• Increasing skill base
• Platform for succession planning
• And for the future?
• Increasing number and quality of applicants

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Conclusions

• Education and training are essential for the
  future of hospitality, leisure and tourism
• Industry must take the lead
• Utilise partnership approach
• Programmes should be applied, integrated and
  progressive
• Qualifications should be externally recognised
• Industry backed, private hotel school may serve
  to raise interest in hospitality as an attractive
  area of study and viable career

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