It's #YPGuarantee Week and throughout the week we will be showcasing employers from across the North-east who are taking part in the Young Person's Guarantee by delivering on one of the five asks of employers.
We caught up with Jordan Charles, General Manager at Meldrum House. Their employer ask is: 'Create jobs and opportunities suitable for 16–24-year-olds'.
Tell us about an example(s) of some of the amazing work that you have done to support young people?
Meldrum House is proud to have supported young people in many ways. A couple of years ago we took part in a parents and carers event which gave them an idea of what opportunities and pathways were available for young people while allowing us to promote working in the hospitality industry which we believe is a wonderful to work and develop in.
We are incredibly proud that Meldrum House consistently supports many of the valued young people in the team to gain apprenticeships, enabling them to work and earn. Right now, we have six members of staff undertaking a Modern Apprenticeship which is great for them but equally for us as a business too.
Modern Apprenticeships are a great way to identify future leaders in the business. As a result, we have seen many young people move up through the business and gain internal promotions into the first level of management positions such as a supervisor or deputy level. We have staff that have been on a journey with us and through their commitment have added a lot of value to the services we provide to customers and being recognised as one of the North-east’s most popular venues.
We’ve seen shy, young people come into the workplace lacking confidence but within one-year to 18 months having the ability to lead a wedding, run a Christmas party, lead the housekeeping team, work with the greenkeeping team and more. We’ve even seen young people run a section within the kitchen and it all gives us a great sense of pride.
Seeing the young people progress and flourish within the business with their confidence rising is a hugely rewarding aspect of the job. We fully intend to continue supporting young people and helping them succeed. Having them develop their skills, both personal and professional, is vital for our business. We operate in a fast-paced environment where young people are faced with challenging situations and we want to ensure they are able to deal with these with confidence. Seeing young people step into management positions, grabbing the bull by the horns, and really driving business forward is something we are proud to contribute to and we will continue to create opportunities for young people to develop and succeed in the workplace and in the hospitality industry.
What are the best aspects for young people working at Meldrum House?
Working in hotels is like being in one big family. Being able to gain a qualification and have fun while working really benefits young people. By working with the team, they’ve already got their foot in the door and if they show their dedication and commitment to the qualification and work hard, they’ll be able to learn and progress further.
What are your future plans for continuing to support young people?
It is essential that we continue to support young people. As the Young Person's Guarantee states, young people have been some of the most affected due to the impact of CV-19. They’ll understandably feel neglected and all the plans they had for subject choices, college or university or finding work, have all went up in the air for many. Meldrum House is committed to continuing with our apprenticeship scheme and investing in young people to make sure we have opportunities for them when the economy does recover. We will continue to invest in the education development of young people through modern apprenticeships.
What advice would you give to future employers looking to get involved and support young people?
I would emphasise that having young people in your business is not only good for your business but also for the lifeblood of your industry or sector. With the right guidance and leadership, you will get the best out of them and they will then go on to become the future leaders and managers of tomorrow.
I would strongly endorse other businesses investing in young people and making that commitment to offering positions/apprenticeships. The benefits are there for everyone. Hotels are big families and being able to gain a qualification and have fun has really benefited young people, allowing them to learn and progress on the job. When an opportunity does arise, they’ve already showed through their dedication and commitment that they’ve got one foot in the door.
For more information about opportunities at Meldrum House, visit https://www.meldrumhouse.com/.
