Cadogan partner with Saira Hospitality and RBKC to provide support into employment
Cadogan has partnered with Saira Hospitality, the non-profit organisation, RBKC and six leading local hotels to create a pop-up hospitality school to support community members into hospitality roles.
Co-funded by Cadogan and RBKC, the project educated 30 unemployed local residents; teaching them key skills for success within the hospitality industry. Hotel partners, including The Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel, The Carlton Tower Jumeirah and Sloane Place, provided students with hands-on work experience and guaranteed interviews for each graduate.
The curriculum focused on key areas that have been identified as either not taught, emphasised or encouraged already within the industry – these include emotional intelligence, communication and leadership, with the outcome of developing a new and sustainable pipeline of hard to reach talent. This partnership further demonstrates Cadogan’s belief in the importance on hospitality and the value of collaborations with shared goals.
Kate Neale, Head of Sustainability at Cadogan, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this innovative training school, upskilling our local community and brining new talent into the neighbourhood’s fantastic hotels. Partnerships like these are crucial to tacking the systematic issues facing our economy – investing in people to create long-term, meaningful change at both an individual and business level.”
Greg Fruchtenicht, Chief Operating Officer at Saira Hospitality, said: “Since launching in London last year we have always dreamed of uniting public and private sector businesses to achieve a common goal. With the support of Cadogan, RBKC and our local hotel partners, this pop-up signals the innovative results that can come from a truly collaborative approach to some of our industry’s biggest challenges.”
Cllr Josh Rendall, Lead Member for Local Economy & Employment said: “This partnership has offered great support for our employers within hospitality who we know have ongoing recruitment opportunities. One of our Council Plan priorities being a Fairer Borough is to tackle unemployment, underemployment, and low pay by forming partnerships to provide training and support to those who need it. What a fantastic example of this in action. I wish all the 30 people, both residents and those beyond, who engaged with the programme luck on their career journeys into hospitality, an industry which offers so much in our Borough.”