Thames Valley Skills Show – are you in?

Foodservice Caterer BaxterStorey will be setting out its stall at the Thames Valley Skills Show on the 14th October to attract some local and home-grown talent from around the Berkshire area where it has a key presence as caterer to many companies local to the region.

Billed as the largest skills event for young people that Berkshire has ever seen, the show will be held at Ascot Racecourse, with over 2000 young people between the ages of 14-25 set to attend.

BaxterStorey, as the UK’s leading independent contract catering services provider, is looking to recruit young people into its growing business and is keen to talk to young people about career opportunities in the hospitality sector and the training and development they offer staff to enhance their skills and realise their potential.

The initiative gets backing from BaxterStorey’s Chairman Alastair Storey: “I think it’s fair to say that when it comes to career choice, hospitality is often overlooked and it’s down to us, along with careers advisor’s, parents, teachers and other influencers, to showcase its strengths to young people and inspire them to see the potential in a hospitality career.

In Europe, it’s considered to be a rewarding, progressive and aspirational career. Yet there seems to be a stigma hanging over it here, something as a last resort perhaps, a job without prospects. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Entry level roles can offer young people a promising alternative to the price tag attached to going to university and not only that, quick progression and a worthy career with countless training opportunities available through employers.”

The Thames Valley Skills Show will provide “hands-on” experiences to inspire young people about the world of work as well as help them explore further education, skills and apprenticeships. BaxterStorey plan to put on a number of activities around its core purpose of serving delicious food using locally sourced ingredients to their customers. Young people will get the opportunity to meet the chefs and try their hand at piping and cake decorating, or playing the interactive board game ‘The Art of Service’ which challenges players to think on their feet about customers needs as they sit in a restaurant setting.

Sharon Daniell, Talent Manager agrees: “At BaxterStorey we are looking to attract more apprentices into our growing business. Young people may be unsure as to what their career might be, but at BaxterStorey we will nurture them through training and development to enhance their skills and realise their potential. We offer not just jobs, but a real career.”

Also supporting on the day will be the BaxterStorey’s Social Business Manager, Thomas Kilroy: “More than ever, young people today need all the assistance they can get to figure out what career to choose and how to get started in it. As a Trustee of the Central Berkshire Education Business Partnership, I am delighted to be part of the Skills Show representing BaxterStorey. We want to let attendees have a go at some fun skills that will inspire them to think about hospitality as an amazing career path to follow, as it has been for myself and my colleagues.”

So go ahead and click on the link. All you have to do is fill out the form and let the adventure begin…