The South West’s hospitality sector is struggling to fill increasing numbers of job vacancies according to a national survey.

Findings from the National Employers Skills Survey (NESS) show that the South West has the highest number of job vacancies in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector of any region in the country, with a third of establishments in the industry offering vacancies.

The survey also reveals that employers in the South West are reporting higher than average levels of skills shortages with almost half of the workplace employed in elementary occupations such as kitchen assistants, waiting and bar staff, leaving gaps in the employment market for more highly trained positions.

Launceston based company South West Recruitment has reported similar mismatches in hospitality vacancies. The Cornish recruitment agency has found that demand from employers for particularly, bar, restaurant managers and chefs is outstripping the numbers of applicants with the required skills and qualifications.

Sally Rumbelow, director of South West Recruitment said, “The hospitality and catering trades do have higher rates of staff turnover and there is a perception that there is a lack of career opportunities and training within the industry. This can discourage people from staying in a job as they see limited opportunities for career progression.

“Hopefully, projects like Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant in Cornwall with have an impact on young people’s perceptions of catering and will also heighten the aspirations of those entering the industry. What we don’t want is employers looking further afield to recruit talent because they can’t find the applicants with the required skills locally. The South West has a lot to offer both businesses and employees but the skills of the region’s workforce have to be harnessed for the mutual benefit of both parties.”       

Research from Connexions Cornwall and Devon shows that there are still plenty of young people entering the catering industry, Figures show that 11.3% of school leavers who entered work and training in 2005 chose jobs in catering; the second most popular occupational sector after construction.  But the level of qualifications employees attain is having an impact on the industry; research from the Learning and Skills Council shows that 26% of the hospitality workforce holds below level 2 qualifications and the sector is below the Devon and Cornwall average for level 3 qualifications.

Richard Hartley, head of research and information for Connexions Cornwall and Devon agrees that lack of people power isn’t the issue, “Hospitality and tourism are hugely important industries to the South West and we are still seeing large numbers of young people entering what has always been a traditionally popular industry for the South West. The region is also very fortunate in having many excellent colleges and employers offering first class training and qualifications.

“Obviously, we’d like to encourage even more employers to find out more information about training opportunities for their workforce and schemes such as apprenticeships. We need to continue to bridge skills gaps and ensure there is a consistent flow of employees moving upwards through the industry, developing expertise within the sector and creating fulfilling careers for themselves.”

Sally Rumbelow concluded, “There are some great job opportunities out there but it’s necessary to find the right people for those positions. Currently around 59% of all the vacancies we deal with are in the hospitality and catering sector – simply because we can’t access people with the right skills for the job.  If we invest in local talent and develop it within the industry – businesses will improve their performance and it will ensure the sector as a whole remains a buoyant one for the South West economy.”