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Train to Gain

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Apprentice of the Year

 

Total People is a Centre of Vocational Excellence

 

 

 

	I thought that, at my age, I would have little left to learn but Train to Gain has proved me wrong. You can always improve on what you do and how you do it...

Having spent all her working life in the hospitality industry, deputy hotel manager Heather Haley thought she would have little to gain from training.

Forty-year-old Heather, who is employed at Curshaws in the Park, in her home town of Whitchurch, has been doing hotel and bar work from the age of 18 and said: “I’d always thought that NVQs were for youngsters and I’d be too old to take one.”

But Curshaws hotel manager Oli Mannion, had other ideas and persuaded Heather to sign up for a Level 3 Hospitality Supervision NVQ through the Learning and Skills Council’s Train to Gain programme. Now there’s no stopping her and, thanks to a work-based training programme, she has done all her learning in the familiar environment of the hotel.

Heather enthused : “I have loved my training programme from the outset and really look forward to my visits from Jenny O’ Hara, my Training Adviser from Total People. I’ve been surprised to find that I have actually enjoyed the learning process and I have learned a lot about being more organised and how to deal with day-to-day problems including staff grievances.

“I thought that, at my age, I would have little left to learn but Train to Gain has proved me wrong. You can always improve on what you do and how you do it and, nowadays, when people have greater expectations of hotel and restaurant accommodation, you need to keep up to date with training to keep the experience you are providing up to standard.

“There’s an old saying that it takes just a couple of minutes to ruin a business and a lifetime to build it up and I reckon that’s true. With that in mind, I make sure that I encourage every member of staff at Curshaws to do regular training.”

Heather’s day to work includes checking on 25 staff, overseeing the books, events and table plans and dealing with any problems to ensure standards of service are up to the mark. She is in charge whenever the manager is absent and has found it easy to combine training with work thanks to the trainer coming to her rather than having to travel into college.

She explained: “Everything I do on a daily basis is included in the qualification and, basically, it’s just proving what I do and gives me a real sense of achievement.”

Training Adviser Jenny O’Hara said: “Heather’s done really well. She’s my star student and, having such a lot of experience in the hospitality trade, much of it comes naturally to her. She is so enthusiastic it’s been a pleasure to train her and she will be sitting her written exam papers in the hotel restaurant.”

And Oli Mannion, Curshaws at the Park manager, said: “I am very committed to work-based learning because it’s important that my staff all work competently, safely and efficiently to make sure all our customers enjoy a memorable visit.

“Curshaws has had a long relationship with Total People so I had full confidence in their expertise. Getting involved with the Train to Gain programme has been extremely easy and I’ve felt fully supported. The Total People Training Advisers are all very helpful and knowledgeable and are great at motivating staff – including myself.

“I’d definitely recommend Total People and Train to Gain to other companies as I’ve already noticed a real improvement in knowledge and confidence in those staff who have taken part in training. It’s fantastic for both them and the business.”

 

 

 

 

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