Southwark Hospitality Skills Hub

Southwark Council has launched a new initiative designed to empower residents to start and advance careers in the hospitality industry while also helping businesses address challenges in recruitment and retention.

The launch of Southwark’s Hospitality Skills Hub forms part of Southwark’s 2030 vision for a fair economy and responds to broader trends within the UK hospitality sector, which has faced staffing pressures following Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hospitality Skills Hub will provide free training and 1:1 support to Southwark residents interested in hospitality careers, aiming to create 130 jobs and apprenticeships over the next two years. The Hospitality Skills Hub is delivered by training and development company, Rinova Ltd and involve partnerships with Hilton Bankside, Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel, Unwind Bars Waterloo, The Hoxton Hotel, Strand Palace Hotels, Sea Containers London, Elephant and Castle Town Centre, Camberwell Business Network.

As the hospitality industry faces a national skills shortage, Southwark’s Hospitality Skills Hub stands out by creating a sustainable, local talent pool that meets the needs of both employers and job seekers. Hospitality can offer a dynamic and rewarding career, with less barriers to entry, more learning on the job than up-front study, and the ability to progress faster than other professions.