Partnering with Local Employers at HMP Hollesley Bay
August 09, 2024Posted by:
Our Hospitality & Catering learners at HMP Hollesley Bay recently welcomed two chefs from Seckford Hall, a luxury hotel with 2 AA rosette restaurant. The expert chefs and the eight learners and one mentor on the course worked together to prepared a three-course meal for 14 staff members, including HMP Governors, the Offender Management Unit, and volunteers from the Sycamore Tree project. The initiative was organised by PeoplePlus tutor Mel and Prison Employment lead Miriam to help facilitate job opportunities during Release on Temporary License (ROTL) and upon release.
The Hospitality & Catering course is 10 weeks, followed by a 2-week Barista course and also includes Allergy Awareness and Food Hygiene. It aims to equip learners with practical skills useful for employment in the hospitality industry. Each cohort of learners participates in masterclasses and engages with potential employers to gain insights and experience and ultimately employment opportunities.
Chefs from Seckford Hall gave us some positive feedback, noting the learners' impressive work ethic and culinary skills. They indicated that the learners' abilities could support more advanced menu preparation in the future. One learner shared, “I am working hard to gain my Hospitality & Catering qualification, and when the event took place with Seckford Hall, it gave me the desire to make this a possible career. Mel has given me the confidence to believe I can become a chef, which I never thought possible.”
This learner has now been offered employment on ROTL!
Following this event, the Salthouse Harbour Hotel in Ipswich and a local delicatessen have agreed to conduct future demonstrations for the next cohorts of learners. This month, the Salthouse Hotel interviewed two learners at the prison, both of whom received ROTL job offers. A hotel representative said “The standard of work and the work ethic shown by the learners was excellent. The knowledge also gave us the confidence to agree to employ two learners to start with, with the hope of this number increasing in time. We have also agreed to visit during the next cohort to showcase some stretch & challenge tasks for the learners including creating a high level buffet for one another.”
This is just one of the many initiatives going on at Hollesley Bay to prepare prisoners for employment on release and contributed to Hollesley Bay being described as "one of the most impressive in the country" in an inspection report.
August 09, 2024Posted by:
