Pub company and brewer Greene King said it will take on 10,000 apprentices over the next three years.
The FTSE-250 pub company, which employs over 40,000 people across the UK – around half of which are under the age of 25 – said its apprenticeship scheme has supported over 7,400 apprentices to achieve a qualification while working across the group’s pub, restaurant and hotel outlets.
The firm, which owns Bellhaven Pubs including the Holburn Bar in Aberdeen and the Auctioneers in Inverness, hired more than 2,000 apprentices in the year to March, exceeding its target, and plans to have supported more than 17,000 apprentices by 2019.
Rooney Anand, Greene King’s chief executive, said: “We are thrilled to have exceeded our 2015 apprenticeship target. The fact that we are now aiming to hit an even higher target of 10,000 is a reflection that as a leader within the UK’s hospitality industry, we believe we have a responsibility to support young people by creating these opportunities to earn and learn.
“Not only do we want to ensure our apprentices have a great experience, we want to continue to improve the programme itself. We will provide the best advice and guidance to potential learners so they understand their commitment and ensure the qualification is best suited to their career aspirations.”
The scheme offers qualifications that cover a range of jobs including front-of-house, kitchen and management.
