Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism - Case Studies

Captain AT Edwards

Captain AT Edwards is a senior postal and courier instructor at the Defence Logistics and SupplySchool. He has recently taken Ashburton’s Basic Cookery Diploma as part of his resettlement training package after 24 years’ service. He is emigrating to Canada and wants to open ‘a soup and sandwich-style café with potential to expand into outside catering.

‘The four-week basic cookery course is aimed primarily at individuals with little or no prior catering experience who wish to enter the catering industry in a self-employed role. For this reason they do not necessarily require formal qualifications, but desperately need a broad knowledge base and a good level of confidence. The course is taught by Darrin Hosegrove, a vastly experienced and gifted chef.’ (Hosegrove began his career working under the guidance of Michelin-starred chef Shaun Hill. Aged 25 he gained two AA rosettes as a head chef before returning to ExeterCollege as a lecturer in Food Studies.)

‘This course far surpassed my expectations, leaving me with a wealth of catering knowledge that will allow me to follow my aspirations with great confidence. It may not as yet provide a nationally accredited qualification but, for a mature and enthusiastic student, it arguably offers more in-depth hands-on experience in four weeks than some other similar courses provide in a year or more.’

Published September 07

George Campbell

Ex-Royal Navy Petty Officer George Campbell went from resettlement to £75,000 a year in less than four months as manager of The Royal Park Hotel in Headingley. Originally from Hexham, Northumberland, he had decided that the pub trade was what he wanted to do after leaving the Navy in September 2006 after 25 years’ service. Ships included HMS Plymouth, Exeter and Nottingham in a career that spanned both Gulf Wars.

After completion of the four-week residential resettlement course with CTP preferred supplier, Herron House, Campbell was talent-spotted by course director Alan Herron and went to Mitchells and Butlers, the largest employers of pub managers in the UK, for interview and assessment. His training and experience as a Petty Officer Steward, together with the business skills acquired on the resettlement programme, enabled him to increase the weekly takings of The Royal Park to over £35,000 per week.

Herron explains that ‘not all pub managers are on mega-bucks. This type of pub trading at such a high volume would normally be managed by someone with at least ten years’ experience. He was originally placed as a custodial relief manager – to keep the pub operating until a full-time manager was appointed.’

‘If you want to earn serious money in this business you have to work for it,’ adds Campbell. ‘Don’t get any ideas about spending the rest of your days the other side of the bar supping because it won’t happen. Think long and hard, but if this is what you really want to do it’s a fantastic job and if I can do it – so can you.’

Published January 08

Chris Cattell

Now aged 25, ex-Sapper Chris Cattell left the Royal Engineers a year ago after tours in Iraq, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Bosnia as a plumbing and engineering specialist during a seven year military career. A Career Transition Workshop ‘supplemented the information gathered on an NVQ Level 2 in Leisure and Tourism’, and led him to a ‘well run, useful and recommended’ licensed retail management course with Herron House Retail Training in Lancaster. ‘I was seconded to a local pub as part of my programme, where the classroom sessions were integrated with work-based experience.’

Finding his first job as bar staff in Connolly’s Blackpool lap dancing bar through the local job centre, he was ‘quickly identified by the owner as management material’ and was house manager for several months. ‘The job is a very serious business and involves financial control, stock control, staff recruitment and development, general business development and interaction with the customers. I am meeting new people all the time.’

In February this year Cattell’s boss took on another pub and appointed him manager and designated premises supervisor. ‘I’m on £30,000 a year plus perks. This year I’m opening a family bar upstairs and hope to increase takings by 25 to 30%. Alan Herron, course director comments: ‘This just proves that junior ranks with the drive and ambition to succeed have the same opportunities as those who have aspired to more senior roles within the Service.’

Published April 08