Catering for future (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Catering for future

10:37am Friday 30th March 2012 in Chippenham

OPPORTUNITIES in the food industry are on offer as Wiltshire College’s 100 in 100 campaign to find 100 apprentice placements in 100 days continues.

Taking on an apprentice can be mutally beneficial for both the business and the apprentice, and the Govern-ment provides some financial help to businesses to help them afford to do so.

Up to 100 per cent of training costs is paid with government support, while The National Apprenticeship Service has 40,000 grants of up to £1,500 available to small and medium-sized employers to take on new apprentices.

Hartley Farm, in Bradford on Avon, is looking to recruit a professional cookery apprentice to work alongside its head chef in the kitchens at the farm café and restaurant, and say the financial help could make all the difference.

Tom Bowles, a partner in the family business, and manager of the farm shop and restaurant, said: “It’s really important for small businesses to get financial help from the Government. We are not interested in cheap labour, what we want is skilled labour, and this is a great opportunity to bring young people into the industry and provide the training and support they need.

“We grow our own veg and rear our own meat, which is delivered straight to the back door of our kitchen, so we will be able to give an apprentice an interesting start to their career.”

Head chef Ollie Hoile said: “Loyalty is a very rare commodity in this industry, but something that is really valued here. I believe that if you give people the support and skills they need and keep pushing them to achieve, they will repay you with hard work and loyalty.

“Given the nature of the business and what we produce in the kitchen, the £1,500 grant will help buy in new ingredients we wouldn’t normally use to support the development of our apprentice.

“It will also help with possible trips to broaden the knowledge of the apprentice as I’m keen to send them to fellow professionals, in London for example, to gain further experience.”

For more information, visit www.wiltshire- enterprise.co.uk or follow Wiltshire Enterprise on Twitter @WiltsEnterprise