AHA, TAA back government’s summer hospitality training drive

A government campaign to boost uptake of hospitality roles has been welcomed by peak industry bodies in NSW amid an ongoing staff shortage.

The Kickstart Your Career in Hospitality campaign was launched by NSW Minister for Hospitality and Racing, Kevin Anderson, on Friday December 2.

Running for five weeks, during the busy summer period, the campaign promotes a variety of free short training courses through Training Services NSW.

Both the Australian Hotels Association NSW and Tourism Accommodation Australia NSW have welcomed the initiative.

“Hospitality is career which really does open doors, and we need to encourage young people in particular to realise this – the sky really is the limit,” said TAA NSW CEO Michael Johnson.

“So, we welcome initiatives like this one which show first-hand, that with the right training there are plenty of chances and opportunities out there for hospitality workers.”

AHA NSW Director of Liquor and Policing, John Green, highlighted the demand for pub workers in both regional and urban areas of NSW, particularly over the festive period. He believes the campaign is a “step in the right direction”.  

“Nationwide we are looking at a shortage of more than 100,000 in the hospitality sector ranging from kitchen hands and bar staff to chefs and cooks,” he said.

“Many NSW hotels are being forced to close their kitchens on certain days of the week or close their doors early because they simply do not have enough staff.

“This new social media campaign is a step in the right direction to encourage more people to join our vibrant industry and we congratulate the Minister.”