'I don't think it is 'THE' way, but it is definitely 'A' way'

The Boat Inn Development Programme; a new way to find staff during the staffing crisis

With the announcement of The Boat Inn Development programme, a paid work placement for year 12 students from King Edward VI's School in Lichfield, The Staff Canteen spoke to Liam Dillon to find out his reasoning behind setting up the programme and what he hopes will come from it - both for The Boat Inn and for the students.

Liam wasn't shy about where the idea had first come from saying: "Like everyone, we're struggling - we can't find people or they don't want to hang around for more than two weeks.

"It just seems that no matter what you are doing you just can't hold on to people."

So that's where the idea originally came from. Liam wanted to find ways to get people to see what they were doing at The Boat Inn. He wants people to know the industry is 'not a bad place to be'

He said: "Hospitality isn't a big scary thing anymore."

He's heard young people in the restaurant mention that for university applications 'they need to be doing other things, they need to be having hobbies, they need to have other interests', to give them the edge in getting into their desired uni.

"The idea was that I'd speak to my old secondary school and put together a programme that would just show something different on people's CVs," explained Liam. "I think unis are looking for people who've got hobbies, people interested in doing other things not just 'I sit at home revising and get three A*'."

Regarding what success of the scheme would look like he said: "Getting people in who want to come to work here and I think the nice thing is they are getting paid. It's not just work experience, you are being treated as a member of staff."

Who is it for?

Liam explained how the opportunity was for everyone, he'll be presenting to students at the school in September and expalining that they have a variety of job roles and tasks available for the students accepted into the programme. He explained how the students might be working front of house, in the kitchen, or even helping out with looking after the bees or doing work in The Boat Inn's garden.

While it is unlikely that he would find chefs in the pool he is choosing from, he said: "The programme is for anyone really. Anyone who likes the idea of cooking - wants to do that alongside something else, or predominately front of house. You never know I might find chefs along the way."

When Liam was asked if he thought this was the way forward for the industry to deal with the staffing issues happening at the moment he said: "I don't think it is THE way, but it is definitely A way. It's something that can show people inside the industry. 

"It's just another avenue, another way of trying to find people so that the restaurant can have consistent staff helping them out and have them benefit from it as well."