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Apex City Quay Hotel and Spa has partnered with the University of Dundee to develop the next generation of hospitality talent in the city.
The hotel has five of its members of staff completing an Honours Degree in Business Management as part of the university’s Graduate Apprenticeship Programme.
Laura Duffy, Sophie Carmichael, Krisztina Racz (Year 1), Natalie Harrington (Year 2) and Lucy Jobson (Year 3), work four days a week at various roles in the hotel, with the final day spent studying at university – sponsored by Apex City Quay in Dundee.
The hotel, which was recently shortlisted for a ‘Developing the Young Workforce’ award, has also been nurturing its talent through a work experience programme with Meldrum Academy up to honours degree level through graduate apprentices.
Similar to the Modern Apprenticeship scheme for vocational learners, the Graduate Apprenticeship Programme enables staff to ‘earn while they learn’, serving to shape the next generation of hospitality managers in Dundee and across Scotland.
Paul Mooney, general manager of Apex Hotels, said: “The hospitality industry provides a vast array of challenging and rewarding career opportunities, but like any industry, we must invest in our talent.
“Our successful collaboration with Dundee and Strathclyde Universities through the Graduate Apprenticeship Programme, has been hugely beneficial both in providing industry ready skills and opportunities for staff and enabling the business to get the best out of its talent.”
Wayne Paul, engagement manager of Graduate Apprenticeship Programme at University of Dundee, added: “Working with Paul and the team at the Apex Hotel is always a pleasure. They understand that their employees are the beating heart of their business and they know what is required to help develop and grow the talent that they have.
“Our relationship has blossomed since it began in 2018, and we are looking forward to welcoming our largest intake from the Apex Hotel in September 2024, with three employees joining our Business Management Graduate Apprenticeship Course.”
The hospitality industry in Scotland currently employs over 228,000 people and is worth £1.3bn to the Scottish economy. That equates to 1 in 14 jobs in the food and accommodation service sector.
