Earlier this week, as part of the employability inputs we are currently delivering at Kirkwall Grammar School, we welcomed Sheetal Revis from the Hospitality Department at UHI Orkney.

This session was arranged to give pupils an insight into the range of careers available in the hospitality industry, highlight the transferrable skills that can be developed and some of the opportunities that working in this industry can offer.

Sheetal spoke about her own career journey from school in Orkney, to moving away to attend university then working for international hotel chain Hilton and setting up her own business. Working in hospitality has enabled her to travel and work all over the world, developing skills she has been able to take with her on her career journey.

Many of the pupils attending the session work in local hotels, restaurants and cafes, so they are already playing an important role in a sector that is important to our local economy.

Giving the pupils her top tips for skills to learn while working in hospitality, Sheetal advised them to learn how to: make good coffee; carry a tray of drinks and, talk to people.

Pupils took part in the discussion by speaking about the jobs they currently do in hospitality and explaining why they did or did not want to work in the industry when they left school. Those who didn’t want to work in the industry were asked the reasons why, and Sheetal did some myth busting about perceptions of working in hospitality.

This was a great session which helped pupils to see the opportunities working in hospitality could offer them.

We hosted a Lunch and Learn event earlier this week to help local employers learn how they can engage with their future workforce more easily.
 
Over 20 employers attended our event to hear how Founders4Schools and Marketplace can help them engage with school pupils, in a way that fits in with their business needs.