A hospitality team member can work in a range of establishments - such as bars, restaurants, cafes, conference and banqueting centres, restaurants, hotels and contract caterers - and carries out a range of general and specialist roles within the business.
The role is very varied and although hospitality team members tend to specialise in a specific area, they have to be adaptable and ready to support team members across the business, for example during busy periods.
Specialist areas in hospitality include food and beverage service, serving alcoholic beverages, barista, food preparation, housekeeping, concierge and guest services, reception, reservations and conference and banqueting.
Whatever the role, the most important is developing fantastic hospitality skills and knowledge such as recognising customer needs, knowing how to match them to the products and services of the business and working as part of a team to ensure that every customer - whether they are eating in a restaurant, drinking cocktails in a bar, ordering room service in a hotel or attending a business conference - feels welcomed and looked after.
All hospitality team members must have the following introductory knowledge:
Understand what hospitality means; the culture of the industry and why delivering a customer experience to meet and exceed customer's expectations is so important to hospitality businesses.
Appreciate the importance of hospitality behaviours such as personal conduct, being adaptable, using initiative and communicating with a diverse range of people.
Know the range of businesses and establishments that make up the hospitality industry, their differences and similarities and the variety of job roles and progression opportunities that are available.
Employers will set their own entry requirements
CORE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND BEHAVIOUR REQUIREMENTS
All hospitality team members must have the following core knowledge:
Customer: Recognise customer profiles in hospitality and how customers have different needs. Understand the importance of meeting, and where possible, exceeding customer expectations in line with the business and brand standards. Understand the importance of receiving and dealing with customer feedback to support the improvement of products and services and provide value for money.
Business: Know the business vision and values, its main competitors, how it fits into the wider hospitality industry and how own area of work contributes to achieving business targets. Know how their own role can minimise unnecessary financial loss to the business. Understand how personal discipline in approach to work, eg. timekeeping, attendance, personal appearance, personal presentation and conduct, can all have an impact on the business and brand reputation. Know the products and services that are offered by the business, their prices and special offers and how to match them to customers' needs. Know how the business aims to increase its market share and compete against its main competitors, for example its unique selling points, promotions and marketing campaigns. Understand how the use of technology can enhance customer service and productivity in hospitality businesses. Recognise and understand legislative responsibilities relating to the business and the products and services it offers. Know how the activities in hospitality businesses can have a negative effect on the environment.
People: Understand the importance of using appropriate methods of communication that are suitable for different situations and individuals' needs in a variety of hospitality contexts. Know how to support and influence the team positively, recognising how team members are dependent on each other to meet business objectives. Know how to support and influence the team positively, recognising how team members are dependent on each other to meet business objectives.
First-line supervision/team leading: Understand how to support the supervision of team members, eg. new and junior employees to assist line manager.
SKILLS
Apprentices will gain skills in the following areas:
Customer: Use clear and engaging communication to establish a good rapport with customers and ask relevant questions to determine their needs. Deliver excellent customer service in line with the business and brand standards with the aim of exceeding customer expectations. Check that customers are satisfied with products and services and act on feedback in line with business procedures.
Business: Perform activities to positively promote business and brand standards and identify opportunities to increase sales and achieve customer loyalty. Perform activities to positively promote business and brand standards and identify opportunities to increase sales and achieve customer loyalty. Prepare and organise own work for example promptly arriving for shifts, communicating information at team meetings and briefings, following business and brand guidelines and procedures, meeting agreed deadlines. Clearly communicate relevant and useful information on products and services based on a clear understanding of customers' needs. Actively promote the unique selling points of the business and special offers available and promotions to customers. Use technology appropriately and efficiently in line with company policy in a way that supports customer service and ensure that faults and maintenance issues are reported promptly. Comply with legal requirements to avoid risks, minimise disruption to the business and to maintain the safety and security of people at all times. Work in a way that minimises negative effects on the environment for example by managing wastage in line with business procedures.
People: Communicate accurately and effectively with others in line with the business culture to achieve the best result according to the situation. Support team members to ensure that the products and services delivered are of a high quality, on time and meet customer expectations in line with business need. Put people at ease in all matters, adapt products and services as necessary, helping them to feel welcome and supported and provide them with information that is relevant to their needs.
First-line supervision/team leading: Contribute to meetings and planning shifts, support shift briefings and assist in the monitoring of standards to help ensure quality is maintained
Apprentices will demonstrate the following behaviours:
Customer: Use own initiative and have confidence in determining customers' needs. Take an enthusiastic and positive approach to providing excellent customer service. Take feedback from customers seriously and actively improve own customer service in line with business and brand standards.
Business: Proactively support the reputation of the business and be aware of how it compares with its competitors. Carry out activities with consideration of their cost and value. Organise own work and have the confidence to ask for guidance, fully participate in performance reviews and training and act on feedback relating to personal performance. Confidently demonstrate a belief in the products and services the business offers. Keep up-to-date with how the business positions itself within the wider hospitality industry. Use technology responsibly and take an interest in new developments that relate to own job role. Work with integrity in a safe, honest and trustworthy manner putting personal safety and that of others first. Demonstrate personal commitment to minimising the negative affect on the environment caused by work activities.
People: Take a friendly and outgoing approach, enjoy talking and interacting with others and communicating according to the business and brand standard. Demonstrate pride in own role through a consistently positive and professional approach and be aware of the impact of personal behaviour within the team. Operate in a fair and professional manner
First-line supervision/team leading: Demonstrate the ability and confidence to deputise for the line manager when necessary.
In addition to the core knowledge, skills and behaviours, hospitality team members must select from one of the following specialist functions which have specific requirements:
Food and beverage service: Know the range of food and beverage service styles and standards within different types of hospitality operations; the key features of menu items products and services, and basic food and beverage pairing in line with menu. Ensure each stage of food and beverage service meets business or brand standard, including, for example, customer arrival, provision of information, promoting menu and other items, taking and processing orders, serving food and drink and taking payments. Food and beverage service must be demonstrated in at least one food service style, such as table service, counter service, room service or conference and banqueting.
Alcoholic beverage service: Know a variety of alcoholic beverages, their basic characteristics, information required for the customer, equipment required to store, prepare and serve them and storage conditions required for optimum quality. Provide accurate information on alcoholic beverages, prepare, serve and store alcoholic beverages in the correct manner and use specialist equipment for preparing and serving alcoholic beverages appropriately.
Plus have specialist knowledge of one option from:
Wine service: Know a variety of wine styles and popular grape varieties, their basic characteristics, basic wine and food pairing in line with the menu, information that will help inform customers, equipment required to store and serve wines and conditions required for optimum wine quality. Provide accurate information on the wine menu, make basic recommendations to customers based on menu, serve and store wine in the correct manner and use specialist equipment for preparing and serving wine appropriately
Beer / Cask Ale: Know a variety of beers, including bottled, keg and cask ales, their characteristics, basic food pairing in line with the menu, information that will help inform customers, the equipment required to store and serve them and conditions required for optimum quality and the correct cellar procedures and conditions. Provide accurate information on beers, including bottled, keg and cask ales; make recommendations to customers based on menu, serve and store beer and cask ales in the correct manner and use specialist equipment appropriately. Help ensure that the correct cellar conditions are maintained to preserve the quality of the beer / cask ale
Cocktails / Mixology: Know the main categories of cocktails, including common base ingredients, methods of preparing and serving them, how ingredients and equipment should be stored and information that will help inform customers. Provide accurate information on the cocktail menus to customers, prepare cocktails using a range of ingredients and methods and adjust the cocktail to customers' taste and preference. Ensure ingredients are stored correctly and use specialist equipment appropriately
Barista: Know the main categories and types of hot and cold beverages - particularly coffee - and the methods of preparing and serving them. Know how different ingredients should be stored, and the origins key ingredients. Identify specialist equipment and know how to use it correctly and keep it clean and hygienic. Know the main categories and types of hot and cold beverages - particularly coffee - and the methods of preparing and serving them. Know how different ingredients should be stored, and the origins of key ingredients. Identify specialist equipment, know how to use it correctly and keep it clean and hygienic.
Food production: Know how to perform basic food processing tasks such as preparation, cooking and regeneration of food in line with business or brand specifications and identify how to follow kitchen procedures to maintain food safety and quality. Know how to maintain excellent standards of hygiene and how to use equipment correctly and store food safely. Perform basic cleaning, washing up, food processing, preparation, regeneration and cooking tasks following line with the kitchen procedures and maintain food safety and quality (basic food processing and preparation includes for example sandwiches, bar snacks, light bites, compiling desserts, toasted items).
Concierge and guest services: Know local and national information or where to access it and the variety of services available to customers. Know the process for procurement of additional products and services in order to meet customer needs and the business standards and procedures for room service and recognise the importance of following them. Meet and greet customers, coordinate with suppliers of guest services and other organisations and source information that support customers' experience, promote services such as valet parking and stores or transfers customers' luggage, book external or additional services and provide a link between the customer and all departments within the business
Housekeeping: Know how to clean and maintain a variety of areas and materials and understand the importance of responsibility using cleaning equipment, techniques, chemicals and agents, and ensuring that the appearance of rooms and external areas meet the business or brand standard. Clean and maintain bedrooms and public areas including furniture, fixtures and fittings, soft and hard flooring; identify and report maintenance needs and check that outcomes of work meet the businesses or brand standards for presentation.
Reception: Know business procedures for delivering reception operations and understand the requirements for processing personal and sensitive data; identify internal customers and their needs and how they feed into the operation. Know the products, facilities and services of the whole business and how to communicate these to customers, staff and visitors. Welcome customers and provide a broad range of relevant information relating to the business. Support an efficient check in/check out service for customers, answer enquiries and take reservations and bookings face to face, on the telephone or on- line. Be the link between visitors, staff and guests.
Reservations: Understand how to take individual and group accommodation or event reservations in line with business or brand standards. Know the pricing policy of the organisation and how this ensures effective yield management. Understand requirements for processing personal and sensitive data. Take and process reservations and negotiate rates in line with own authority. Ensure reservations follow the organisation's yield management policy. Support the team to plan events, show customers the facilities of the business and provide information on the typical procedure for running events.
Conferences and events operations: Understand how to adapt approach and communication with the customer depending on the nature of their visit and event, eg. the difference in approach for a wedding party or a business. Know how and where to secure resources and own authority to do so, in line with the organisation's procedures. Support the delivery of a variety of events according to the business or brand standard. Co-ordinate with customers' suppliers and team members, ensuring the right resources are in place to meet the event brief.
Throughout the programme the apprentice will receive expert training from highly qualified staff
A qualified assessor will provide an induction and regular workplace assessments
Progression from this apprenticeship is expected to be into a hospitality supervisory or team leading role.
