Local MP Steve Brine was delighted to meet two of his constituents, Craig Parsons and Darragh Ryan, at a special event showcasing the vibrant pub, bar, brewing and casual dining sectors during National Apprenticeship Week.
A food skills trainer for Fuller's Brewery, Craig attended the Hospitality Apprenticeship Showcase event at the House of Commons on 6th March with his employer Fuller, Smith and Turner. And Darragh was one of the 200 apprentices invited to attend the event. He is currently working at the Wykeham Arms, an award-winning pub right in the heart of Winchester.
Steve Brine MP, said; “It was a pleasure to meet Craig and to learn about his role as a food skills trainer at Fuller’s Brewery. Although he works for Fuller’s in Chiswick, Craig’s home town is in my constituency, Winchester & Chandler’s Ford, which is why I was keen to meet him. He is responsible for the Fuller’s Chefs’ Apprenticeships Programme and has done some great work in partnership with the University of West London in his quest to make Fuller’s the place to go for chef apprenticeships. I shall watch his progress with interest.
“It was also a great pleasure to meet Darragh and to learn about the skills he is gaining as a trainee chef with Fuller's. The Wykeham Arms is a wonderful pub, which Susie and I have been to many times, and was voted Town Pub of the Year 2018 under the excellent leadership of Jon Howard. I am sure Darragh is gaining fantastic experience with the Wykeham Arms and I wish him all the best with his career going forward."
The third annual Apprenticeship Showcase, organised by the Perceptions Group, saw over 115 MPs in attendance as well as 200 apprentices working inpubs, bars, hotels, casual dining restaurants, the brewing industry and for drinks manufacturers.
Chairman of the Perceptions Group, Keith Knowles, said; “The Hospitality Apprenticeship Showcase provides the perfect platform to champion the career opportunities available in the hospitality sector. From apprenticeships to graduate programmes, this industry offers plenty of scope for all sorts of people with a range of abilities.”
Employing 3.2million people, the hospitality sector is the UK’s third-largest private sector employer. It represents an economic turnover of £130bn, which is more than the automotive, pharmaceutical and aerospace industries combined. With £10bn in new business investment, the sector is forecast to grow by a further 4.3%, creating 19,000 more jobs by 2020.
Pictured; Steve Brine with Darragh Ryan from the Wykeham Arms in the House of Commons
