South West College (SWC) is inviting enrolments for the second, fully-funded ‘Hospitality Academy’ which will take place at the Erne Campus Enniskillen this June.

The 12-day ‘Hospitality Academy’ is open to those living within the Fermanagh and Omagh area who are currently unemployed and seeking a return to the work place. This new intake follows the successful completion of an initial 12 day programme earlier this month during which participants were trained in a range of disciplines including kitchen duties and front-of-house service. The academy is designed to provide the participants with industry recognised qualifications as well support with CV writing and interview skills development.

The Hospitality Academy is funded by the Department for Communities and is being delivered in partnership with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and the Interim Fermanagh and Omagh Labour Market Partnership to support the recovery of specific local employment issues by closing the gap between employer needs and the shortage of skilled labour.

Encouraging participants to avail of this exciting opportunity, Ciaran McManus, Assistant Chief Executive of South West College, said:

‘South West College is committed to working in partnership with the local industry to design and deliver high-quality training interventions which prepare participants to take up employment in the hospitality sector.’

Joao Pedro Bastos who completed the initial 12-day programme and is now hoping to take up a new role with a local employer said;

‘I really enjoyed the experience during the Hospitality Academy, the staff made us feel at home and were very supportive. The academy has equipped us with the skills that we will need for our careers and I learned a lot of things about the industry over the past 12 days that I didn’t know. I would recommend it.’

Participants can expect to receive subsistence payments including travel and childcare and will receive up to £300 on completion of the programme.

Applications are now open with limited spaces and will close on Thursday 2nd June. For further information please contact Una Dunlop by emailing una.dunlop@swc.ac.uk