Crieff Hydro adds to leadership team with focus on training

Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels has announced the expansion of its senior management team, with a number of key appointments ahead of the busy summer season. The group – which operates Crieff Hydro and Peebles Hydro – has appointed Gavin Edwards as head of Learning and Development, while Ryan Gourlay takes on a new role as IT technical manager. With more than a decade of experience working in a variety of senior learning and development roles within Scotland’s hospitality sector, Edwards joins the Crieff Hydro family from Glasgow-based Klarent Hospitality, where he spent over four years supporting the progression of the workforce at hotel groups such as Hilton and Mercure. With a focus on employee retention within the wider Crieff family, his role will see an overhaul of the group’s onboarding process, while building on the internal training schemes and employee development programmes currently on offer. Edwards said: “I’m very excited to be joining the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels at a crucial time for Scotland’s hospitality sector. It’s no secret that the industry is facing recruitment challenges and that’s why building a strong portfolio of excellent career progression opportunities for our team is so important to us. “The service industry sets itself apart from any other sector when it comes to progression. You can join at entry-level and advance relatively quickly into a senior management role compared to other industries due to the soft skills you acquire.” He added: “It’s vital to illustrate these pathways for the team from day one, so establishing a fantastic onboarding process to allow people to feel welcomed, knowledgeable and inspired in their role from the get-go is crucial.” His role will also involve reinvigorating the portfolio’s apprenticeship offering as well as further developing the group’s manager and high-potential programmes. He continued: “I aim to transform the whole company’s approach when it comes to building on the skills our employees already have by providing them with bespoke opportunities to excel in their careers. “By making sure our employees are happy and fulfilled within their roles, excellent service for our guests will inevitably follow.” Meanwhile Gourlay joined the Crieff Hydro family in 2014 as an IT Support Technician, after being made redundant following his previous role as an IT apprentice at Microspec Computer Ltd in Falkirk. He said: “I joined the Crieff team right at the start of my career, and I still had a lot to learn. My boss at the time described my potential as a ‘ball of clay’, which meant the company was able to shape the skills I had to fit the needs of the business at that time. “It was an invaluable start to my career and meant I could gain the experience I needed to continue to progress over the following years. The employees in the wider Crieff team are so supportive when it comes to development, and they really take the time to ensure that you’re following a career path that works for you. There’s a big emphasis on on-the-job training here, which helps you get to the nitty-gritty of how the cogs in the Crieff machine work together. It’s a great place for career development.”