Here at the Grand we are incredibly proud of the five-star service we provide in everything we do – and that includes the high quality work experience we provide too! Since 2016 we have offered over 100 people from local schools, colleges and charities the chance to gain valuable work experience here at the hotel, across our many departments. Hands-on work placements offer learning opportunities in the Kitchen, Restaurant, Human Resources, Events, Banqueting and Kitchen Portering and vary in length from one day to several weeks. Our aim is to open people’s eyes to explore how rewarding a career in hospitality can be. The majority change their perceptions by the end of their placement - many then end up working for us afterwards, either on a permanent or casual basis.
People may contact us when they have a scheduled module of school or college work experience to fill, a university placement, or when they’d just like to join us in the summer holidays. In addition to a well structured personal development programme, we also work with a number of other charities whose aims include building confidence after an amount of time being unemployed, gaining employability skills, or trying out a new career path.
We offer career path advice covering apprenticeships, casual work and a full-time contract work. At the end of a placement with us, we gather feedback from managers, carry out an exit interview, offer advice for the future and, as long as the placement was a success, follow up with an offer of casual or permanent work.
The Grand is proud to have received the Springboard Award for Excellence for Best Work Experience Provider 2017. The Springboard charity help young and disadvantaged people into the world of hospitality and we have been accredited with their INSPIRE award for quality work experience since summer 2016.
We have good working relationships with many local secondary schools, Sussex Downs and Sussex Coast Colleges and the University of Brighton. Our charity partners include People Matter, Project SEARCH, Scope, Sussex Community Development Association and the Prince’s Trust.
Everyone completing a placement is asked to provide feedback on the Springboard website.
The Grand is highly rated for the supportiveness of mentors, buddies and the wider team, the variety of work and how inspiring the experience was, and many reported that it would lead them to choose a career in hospitality. We have an ‘open door’ approach to work experience and accept requests from the following:
- Local schools for work experience weeks
- Local colleges for students studying hospitality
- Parents or children wishing to gain experience outside of school hours
- Local charities
For anyone who may be interested in work experience at the Grand, please contact our Personnel and Development Manager, Astrid Thirlway AThirlway@elitehotels.co.uk.