Apprentices Revealed as Secret Weapon to Help UK Business Tackle Staff Turnover

BIRMINGHAM, England, March 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

BBC Apprentice finalist Saira Khan launches unique and innovative new Apprentice scheme and says it will recruit the managers of the future.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150312/735008 )

Within the hospitality industry alone, 1,000 people leave their job a day, which as a result of the lost work, recruitment and training, leaves businesses counting the cost of around £20,000 every time a new employee is recruited.

This new research from one of the UK's biggest employers of Apprentices, managed pub operator Mitchells & Butlers plc, the company behind leading pub and restaurant brands All Bar One, Harvester, Toby Carvery, Browns and Sizzling Pubs, shows that Apprentices could hold the key to tackling a £2.7m industry problem.

Through its employment of over 8,000 Apprentices, Mitchells & Butlers has identified that typically they will achieve an 80% retention rate, significantly above the hospitality industry turnover figure of 50%.  

Analysis of the people who have already participated with Mitchells & Butlers' programme has also revealed that around 40% of Apprentices are over 25, illustrating that an Apprenticeship can provide a valuable and rewarding route into a long term career at any age.

This career advancing apprenticeship scheme combines practical, on the job training with study and is the first in the hospitality sector to offer apprenticeships from 16 years of age, across front and back of house roles. This pioneering framework gives young people the platform to learn valuable skills while building a career with M&B and one day could see them running a million pound business.

Saira Khan said: "As a business woman I believe it is essential that we offer young people the opportunity to get excited about business. By launching this new scheme Mitchells & Butlers is creating a secure pathway for its apprentices to explore business, build confidence and gain skills that set them up for life."

Jan Smallbone, Director of Learning & Talent Development, Mitchells & Butlers, comments: "We didn't just want to develop a successful apprenticeship scheme; we wanted M&B to offer the best scheme in the hospitality industry.  Our apprentices will work across our portfolio of brands, learn from our experienced teams, gain a professional qualification and have a real opportunity to progress up the ladder. Your career really can start with us and help us harness a pipeline of talent for the future."

The scheme, known as the Hospitality Management Development Apprenticeship, has been created in partnership with Lifetime Training. The programme is open to 16-19 year olds and will deliver all the underpinning knowledge, skills and behaviours that new recruits need for a successful career in the hospitality industry - in both front and back of house roles.

For more information on the Mitchells & Butlers Apprentice Scheme, how to apply and variety of roles available, visit http://www.mbapprenticeships.co.uk

SOURCE Mitchells & Butlers