Apprenticeship Catering & Hospitality Jobs

Leading apprenticeship employers

Helping you find a career in catering & hospitality

From cheffing in a Michelin starred restaurant to serving canapes and drinks at corporate events, the catering & hospitality industry serves up a wide variety of career opportunities for school leavers. The central theme of all job types, however, is to provide a delightful and unforgettable experience to the customer.

The industry is open to anyone, at any age - making it a reliable choice for school leavers who don't want to go down the University route. In fact, it's one of the most wide-ranging industries that you can choose to work in.

Those working in the industry will agree that the working hours can be long and tiring (its unlikely you'll work 9-5), yet the fun and memories that you can bring to punters is the reason why so many people enjoy it. Additionally, the skills gained from one job type are easily transferable to another within catering & hospitality. This allows for endless amounts of career routes for young people, with some even taking their careers abroad to job opportunities in the sun or the slopes!

N Written by Navdeep

People also searched for

Find out more

FAQs
Jobs by industry
Popular companies

FAQs

Skills required for a career in the Catering & hospitality industry

It goes without saying that to work in certain areas of this industry you'll need specialist skills - for example, to become a Sommelier you'll need to train up as one first and have the relevant amount of experience working within wines. Other roles, such as bar staff, require less experience as long as you're comfortable to learn quickly while on the job.

In general, those in the industry benefit from having the following skills:

Typical Catering & hospitality career progression routes

An apprenticeship will train you for a particular skill, for example working in a kitchen, so the kind of job you can get at this level will be quite obvious.

The catering and hospitality industry also empowers its workers to progress relatively quickly because of the nature of the job. It's a fast-paced and busy working environment, and so you're likely to be entrusted with a lot of responsibility early on. This provides workers with an opportunity to prove their ability to successfully complete the tasks that they've been allocated - including quickly dealing with any problems that arise along the way.

Typical Career Development for the Catering & hospitality industry

The catering and hospitality industry is very practical, meaning you'll rapidly gain new skills by dealing with unique situations on a daily basis. Your superiors can also provide mentoring and advice for your career development but will also encourage you to draw upon initiative, common sense and your problem-solving abilities.

How much do Catering & hospitality professionals get paid?

The National Minimum Wage for an apprentice under the age of 19 is £3.70 per hour. After this, you'll earn around £150- £240 per week. However, what you are paid will depend entirely on your employer.

When starting out in the industry (even after your apprenticeship) your wage is likely to be modest, but due to the responsibilities placed upon you and skill required you could see your salary increase relatively quickly.

It's not an easy task to calculate the average salaries of professionals within the industry because the job roles range so broadly. However, below are a few typical salaries that you could expect to earn:

Catering Manager - £22,200 Head Chef - £27,000 Kitchen Assistant - £13,400 Hotel Manager - £35,900 Concierge - £19,600 Restaurant Manager - £23,000 Hotel Receptionist - £17,000 Flight Attendant - £21,000

What qualifications do I need for a Catering & hospitality career

To get a job in catering and hospitality as a school leaver, it's a good idea to undertake a vocational qualification. A diploma, certificate or short course can give you the practical skills you need to get a job in this sector.

Organisations such as the Professional Association for Catering Education, as well as colleges, can provide these qualifications.

Alternatively, you could consider completing an apprenticeship in the industry, of which there are many! This will see you continue your education at college while earning a salary as you get some practical experience within a catering and hospitality business. Knowledge of the catering and hospitality industries and previous experience working within it are of huge benefit when applying for courses or apprenticeships - so if you've got hotel, bar, catering, events or any other work experience, shout about it!

Catering & hospitality industry bodies

Institute of Hospitality
Professional Association for Catering Eduction
British Hospitality Association
Hospitality Guild
UK Hospitality
The Nationwide Caterers Association

Search jobs by job sector

Leading apprenticeship Employers

See all