With approximately 200 employees working in hospitality and catering across eight sites in Victoria and Tasmania, our Defence Base Services contract is continually seeking ways to offer opportunities and develop the careers of our team.
Additional challenges brought about by the COVID pandemic, including a less mobile workforce and people choosing to leave the hospitality industry and retrain elsewhere, means it has never been more important to offer security and development to employees.
Regional Hospitality and Catering Manager in the South/East Zone Jenny Gigliotti says she's looking forward to seeing 14 employees undertaking their three-year apprenticeship or traineeship in catering or hospitality, with ten of them new to the business.
She is also exploring opportunities to expand the program to the front of house and domestic staff, who would undertake a Certificate III in Hospitality with specific electives suited to our business.
Jenny says establishing the program in Victoria has been a learning experience for her too.
"I've had to learn the process for implementing apprenticeships and traineeships and have partnered with leading institutions in Victoria to help support our plan," Jenny says.
We have focused on how we can regenerate the industry from within our business and showing candidates the many opportunities offered to them at Ventia.
Jenny says they'll be working with the William Angliss Institute as the training provider, given their long history of providing specialist training for the food, tourism, hospitality and event industries.
There will also be a fourth-year option, giving employees the chance to work toward running their own kitchen in the future.
"We have a real mix of experience on our contract, with some joining the team straight out of school and some having a level of work experience," Jenny says. "We also have team members with significant experience who will receive mentor training so that they're available and able to support our new apprentices through the program."
Pictured above: Shane Felmigham, Apprentice Chef at East Sale
Shane Felmingham is one of our apprentice chefs, based at East Sale, and says he's really happy to be part of the program.
"It's a great bunch of people, they made me feel comfortable quickly," Shane says. "Work isn't a drag compared to my old job, it's a safe, secure role that I'm enjoying."
P&C representatives along with our expert recruitment team at Skout helped run the recruitment process, running three assessment centers for the 60-plus applicants. New recruits will commence with Ventia in October 2022 and start their formal studies at the Institute in the new year.
"These apprenticeships and traineeships will provide candidates with opportunities across various service lines, exposing them to a variety of tasks and skills."
"Our commitment to this program will reinforce the message of growth and opportunity for our workforce and will add to our already passionate and proud workforce," Jenny says.
"It's like spring has arrived after a very long winter!"