South Africa’s hospitality industry needs to invest more in paid learnerships, bursaries and career development if it is to address ongoing recruitment and retention challenges.
Speaking at the University of Johannesburg’s Howard Kerzner Memorial Lecture, Platinum Hospitality Holdings CEO Anton Gillis said the industry needs to take greater responsibility for developing the next generation of employees and leaders.
His comments come after the inaugural Hospitality Asset Management Company South African Hoteliers Report identified human capital as one of the biggest challenges to business sustainability with recruitment and retention among the sector’s most immediate concerns.
Gillis said investment is needed at several stages of the talent pipeline – from helping students finance hospitality education to providing work experience and career opportunities for graduates.
He raised particular concern about hospitality businesses that no longer provide stipends to students completing learnerships.
“Last week I spoke to another hospitality school and they shared how some of the bigger hoteliers have stopped paying a stipend towards their learnerships,” said Gillis.
“These students then work at their establishments for free but they also have to pay for transport to go to work and for their accommodation. I think it’s unacceptable. As an industry, we need to do better.”
Gillis said developing the talent pipeline does not always require major financial investment with industry leaders also able to contribute through mentorship and engagement with young people.
“As an industry, we need to continue inspiring and teaching the next generation even if it’s just being open to having coffees and answering emails when a curious young person reaches out to us.
“We need to learn from our mistakes made during COVID. Our businesses closed and we became more closed off to all communication. But I think we need to lead with vulnerability and I think that’s going to pave the way for the next generation to succeed in our businesses.”
