With New South Wales experiencing its strictest lockdown since the pandemic began, and Victoria gradually coming out of lockdown 4.0, the Australian hospitality industry is on its knees, suffering from the crippling effects of last-minute closures and a diminishing workforce, who no longer see hospitality as a stable and viable employment option. With the hospitality industry playing an integral role in Australia’s culture and economy, businesses have been begging for a solution to help them get back on their feet.
To provide much-needed support at a time when it’s needed the most, Restaurant & Catering Association (R&CA) – the peak body for Australia’s hospitality industry – has just launched its brand-new PaTH Program (Prepare, Trial & Hire), an innovative youth employment program set to shake up Australia’s hospitality industry and address the training gaps and staff shortages across the sector.
Targeted at 17-24-year-olds, this five to six-week program provides young job seekers with the knowledge and skills to gain meaningful employment in the industry. Three days of face-to-face training covers all the fundamentals including customer service, food handling, knife skills and Responsible Service of Alcohol, followed by four weeks of hands-on work experience at a participating restaurant where they are mentored by industry professionals.
Australia’s top industry heavyweights such as Scott Pickett (Pickett and Co); Teage Ezard (Gingerboy); Nathan Toleman (The Mulberry Group), Caterina Borsato (Caterina’s Cucina E Bar) and many others, have banded together to reignite passion and optimism for the industry, ready to lead the next generation of aspiring hospitality workers to set them up for a successful career in the industry.
And the best part? There’s the opportunity of ongoing employment for the intern if they successfully complete the program.
To top it off, there is no cost to the intern or business owner to take part. Yes, you read right. With the financial cost of paying rent, staff wages and dealing with exorbitant food wastage thanks to last minute lockdowns, any financial assistance is welcomed with open arms. For every intern a business owner takes on and trains, they will receive an additional $1000 of financial support from the government in recognition of the on-the-job training, supervision and support provided by the business – that’s a win/win for everyone involved.
For more information on the PaTH Program, or if you’re a hospitality business interested in signing up, visit R&CA’s website for all the details here.
