merrion street

Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring today officially launched a new culinary programme aimed at addressing the skills deficit within the hospitality sector – particularly the lack of qualified chefs. The programme is open to all (school leavers, unemployed persons, culinary staff looking to up-skill) and offers the opportunity to obtain valuable employment while at the same time gaining a high level and international recognised professional qualification.

Speaking at the launch in the Merrion Hotel today, Minister Ring welcomed the new initiative -

I am delighted to be here today to launch this new Traineeship, which will no doubt go a long way to benefitting the current jobs situation in Ireland. It will be a key vehicle for providing much needed skills for our hospitality and tourism sectors and is a prime example of what can be done to support the Government’s Jobs Initiative Scheme. With clear advantages, not just for the trainees, but also the participating businesses, this national traineeship is a win-win for the hospitality industry. Importantly, it allows trainees to gain internationally recognised qualifications while enhancing employment prospects and career opportunities.