Earlier this month Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc urged his colleagues in the hospitality sector to take on more apprentices.
The plea came as Blanc backed London Mayor Boris Johnson’s pledge to increase the number of young people in apprenticeships by 250,000 over the next three years.
In doing his bit, Blanc announced the recruitment of 20 young people to the training scheme at his Brasserie Blanc restaurant.
He said: “I think apprenticeships are so important because we need them desperately, we need to have home grown talent. “We need to make the industry even more responsible, to be a real training ground, to grow these young people so they can be confident and strong to create more jobs.”
Blanc’s apprentices, aged between 16 and 19, will be paired with a mentor and will also be assessed by the De Vere Training Academy on a monthly basis. The programme will be split into modules, some of which are based around NVQs.
Speaking at the informal meeting, Boris Johnson said: “From restaurants and bars, to shops and suppliers, the capital’s food industry is a booming trade that has huge potential to give thousands of young Londoners their first big break on the career ladder. “I believe this vibrant sector of our economy can play an increasingly important role in helping to swell the number of apprentices even further.”