Hospitality & catering

• The pandemic has hit this sector hard and employers have been struggling to fill positions; at the beginning of 2022 there were around 400,000 UK vacancies in hospitality.
• High demand roles include chef, front of house and waiting staff, and restaurant manager; the government is hoping that traineeships and new apprenticeship opportunities will encourage more people to apply.
• Norfolk is a top destination for tourists and day visitors and attracting bigger numbers is important to the future local economy. This means improving the quality of accommodation and services and creating better, year-round skilled jobs. Around 35,500 people currently work in hospitality and catering in Norfolk.
• Catering staff are also in high demand; you can find them in schools, colleges, universities, larger offices and in many factories as well as events and conferences.
• Digital technologies are driving new trends such as people renting their homes out to visitors, pop-up restaurants, restaurant table ordering apps and takeaway services. People with digital skills are needed to create and manage these apps.

• Customer awareness
• Listening
• Speaking
• Emotional intelligence
• Resilience
• Leadership
• Planning & organisation
• Digital skills
• Teamwork
• Problem solving
• Languages

• Languages
• Business studies
• English
• ICT
• Maths
• Drama
• Psychology
• Sociology

• Bourne Leisure
• Norwich City Football Club
• Searles Leisure Resort & many holiday parks
• Morston Hall
• Premier Inn, Travelodge and many hotels and guest houses
• Blue Sky Leisure
• NORSE catering
• The King's Conference Centre
• University of East Anglia
• Various catering companies
• Plus thousands of restaurants, cafes, public houses and takeaways across the county

Waiting staff                            £11,700-£19,200

Kitchen assistant                    £11,250-£21,400

Restaurant manager               £15,000-£30,000+

Housekeeping supervisor       £15,700-£26,100

Chef                                        £14,300-£30,000

Bar manager                           £16,000-£24,750

Human resources officer         £20,000-£39,000

Conference manager              £20,150-£31,150+

(figures from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2021)

Getting good grades in English and maths can help you to get into this sector; digital skills may also help, however this sector is open to a wide range of talents.

Options at 16

A levels – many subjects are useful in this sector but business studies may be particularly useful for a career in management.

Apprenticeship – The government wants to increase the number of apprenticeships in hospitality. They include:

Intermediate apprenticeship (level 2)

• Commis chef
• Hospitality team member
• Production chef
• Facilities services

Advanced apprenticeship (level 3)

• Chef de partie
• Hospitality supervisor
• Senior production chef

Vocational qualifications in areas such as catering and hospitality, travel and tourism, and business studies can lead to careers in this sector.

Options at 18 or 19

Undergraduate degree - Graduates from any discipline can apply for roles in this sector but a related degree such as business, hospitality, travel and tourism may increase your chances for a career in management; languages may also help. Many large employers run graduate schemes for management roles.

Apprenticeship - Apprenticeships for roles in this sector include:

• Senior culinary chef (level 4)
• Hospitality manager (level 4)
• Facilities manager (level 4)
• Marketing manager (level 6)
• Chartered manager (level 6)
• Sustainability business specialist (level 7 degree apprenticeship)

Gaining experience

Work experience, a paid job or voluntary work will allow you to demonstrate your skills and qualities. Employers are particularly looking for candidates who can show that they’re good at understanding people and can communicate well.