IHG to Create 3,000 Jobs in the UK and Launch its Hospitality Training Academy in London

LONDON, February 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

* PHOTOGRAPHY/B-ROLL AVAILABLE*

• Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, welcomes the creation of new jobs in Britain and attends the launch of the IHG Academy in Newham
• IHG Academy to develop talented people through hospitality training, providing the opportunity to work for a global hotel company with world renowned hotel brands

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world's leading hotel companies with brands such as Holiday Inn, today announced it is creating nearly 3,000^[1] new jobs across its 275 UK hotels over the next three years, including over 1,100^[2] new jobs this year. IHG also announced the launch of its newest hospitality training Academy in London.

The announcement was welcomed by the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who attended the launch of the IHG Academy programme at the soon to open Holiday Inn London Stratford City. The new hotel is one of four IHG hotels in the area that will be creating new jobs, for which students of the IHG Academy programme can apply.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said, "It's fantastic to see IHG growing its UK business and creating 3,000 new jobs. The British service sector is world-beating, and will soon welcome millions of guests to enjoy London 2012. But reaching this gold standard needs investment in people. IHG are leading the way in their sector through a tailored academy programme. It's an added investment that means young people can learn the skills for the industry in a local college, and then start their career in a local hotel. This shows real investment in our future workforce, is a huge boost for jobs across the country, but crucially will see local people benefit from training and work."

Holiday Inn, part of the IHG family of brands, is the official hotel provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As part of its Olympic legacy, IHG has launched a new hospitality training academy in partnership with Newham College in one of the Games' host boroughs.

With two new hotels to be built in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, successful students will be prize candidates for some of the 140 new jobs being created in the local area as the new hotels open.

IHG's Chief Executive Richard Solomons joined Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and students at the soon to open Holiday Inn London Stratford City to launch the new Academy programme.

Richard Solomons, IHG's Chief Executive said, "Hospitality is a great business to be in and working in hotels offers people exciting career paths for the future. We're pleased to be working with our hotel owners to create jobs and training opportunities in the UK at this time. The IHG Academy programme allows us to join with local education bodies in the UK and around the world to provide real-life skills and enhance employment prospects for local people.  IHG benefits by having access to talent from the neighbourhoods near our hotels."

The IHG Academy programme in Newham was developed in partnership with Newham College and will provide talented local people with hospitality training and practical work experience at a hotel from the IHG family of brands. Students take a six-month tailored course that combines the best of the Hospitality Skills Diploma NVQ with four weeks practical work experience in a hotel. Students qualify with a Hospitality Level 2 Diploma and will have the opportunity to apply for jobs at entry level with IHG.

IHG currently employs over 15,000 people in the UK; approximately 24 per cent of employees are between the ages of 18 and 24 years.

The launch of the IHG Academy programme in Newham is part of a global initiative to invest in the recruitment and training of hotel employees to ensure guests at IHG hotels experience consistent, high levels of customer service, no matter where they are in the world. IHG is committed to creating real job opportunities in the communities around its 4,480 hotels worldwide.

There are 42 IHG Academy programmes worldwide and 5,500 students were involved in the hospitality training globally last year.  

1 .  IHG is to create 2,992 new jobs in the UK over the next three years.

2. IHG is to create 1,144 new jobs in the UK in 2012.

Notes to Editors:

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation operating seven hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® . IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with over 63 million members worldwide.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,400 hotels and more than 658,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories, and has more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline.  

IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 new people worldwide across its estate over the next few years and is committed to gender balance throughout its business. We aspire to continue retaining a minimum of 25% female representation on the Board.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

Visit http://www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and http://www.priorityclub.com for more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit http://www.ihg.com/media, http://www.twitter.com/ihgplc or http://www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

SOURCE IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)