Tom Kerridge, Rick Stein, Angela Hartnett and Raymond Blanc are just some of the leading chefs backing the launch of the world’s biggest hospitality recruitment initiative.
Launching today (Monday, 24 October) through Hospitality Rising, the campaign is the industry’s response to help tackle the sector’s crippling jobs crisis which stands at around 400,000 vacancies.
The bold new recruitment campaign, ‘Rise Fast, Work Young’, is backed by over 300 businesses including global brands and some of the world’s most successful hospitality leaders.
#RiseFastWorkYoung aims to attract the next generation of new recruits by showcasing the opportunities and promise that come with a career in hospitality. A dedicated site has just gone live at www.hospitalityrising.com highlighting the current vacancies across the entire industry.
A series of vibrant campaign images will feature in phase one of a six-figure advertising campaign involving TikTok creators, digital ads and high-profile outdoor spots across the UK. Animated figures will take centre stage representing the diversity of the industry and workstyles on offer, alongside slogans such as ‘Don’t grow old for a living’ and ‘9-5ers wouldn’t get it.’
Backed by Michelin-starred chefs Tom Kerridge, Angela Hartnett OBE and Raymond Blanc OBE, the recruitment drive will highlight how quickly workers can climb the hospitality ladder with the powerful message ‘you can’t go further faster.’
Tom Kerridge said:
“My whole life has been immersed in hospitality, from cooking for my little brother as a kid, to starting The Hand & Flowers and growing my business into what it is today. We have to make sure the next generation of chefs, front of house, bar tenders, kitchen porters and managers are all coming through and that the industry is seen as a lifelong career that can give you amazing experiences.”
Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and campaign director, said:
“This movement represents a major moment in hospitality history, particularly as vacancies have reached the 400,000 mark. To have so many leading names support this initiative shows the importance of it to our industry.
“Hospitality is a sector that’s exciting, rewarding and offers fast growth, because it gives you the life skills to build your own future self and enjoy success – all while having fun.
“In the last few months, we have been working behind the scenes with plans to promote working in hospitality as the ultimate choice for the ambitious, and as an act of rebellion against the 9-5.
“We are all united in our approach to make hospitality a preferred job and career choice for all. I have no doubt that this will be something we can look back on with pride.”
By asking backers to pledge £10 per employee, it aims to reach a £5m target allowing for a “government-sized” collaborative campaign that will change the perception of the industry and bolster its workforce for good. The campaign’s efforts have so far raised £850,000.
Figures from KAM, which is supporting the Hospitality Rising effort, show that only 1 in 5 people would consider a hospitality job and 42 percent of current employees are thinking about leaving the sector.
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls OBE said:
“Hospitality offers so many opportunities to build successful careers, and we so often see people move rapidly from bar to board. This really does make hospitality a unique career path.
“The diverse businesses in the sector have a real thirst to expand and drive growth but the high level of vacancies we continue to see is holding that back. That’s why this campaign is so important in seeing companies, leaders and investors from hospitality join forces to attract young people into the sector.
“I’m confident there is a role for everyone in hospitality and I’m excited about what this campaign will be able to deliver.”
