AFTER SIX weeks of intensive training and work experience, 14 students, including seven Ukrainian refugees, have graduated from Diageo’s Learning for Life hospitality training programme.
The award-winning programme is delivered in partnership with Springboard and The Princes Trust, at the Learning For Life Academy at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, and at a variety of participating bars and hotels in Edinburgh, with the aim of driving recruitment in the hospitality sector and supporting its long-term prosperity.
As well as the seven Ukrainian refugees, this latest batch of graduates from the course included participants from Mexico and India, as well as locals from Edinburgh and the surrounding area, reflecting the aim of bringing greater diversity and inclusion to the Scottish hospitality sector.
Among the graduates, Hanna Korneiko, a Ukrainian refugee who came to Scotland in August 2022, joined the Edinburgh course in the hope that it would give her access to employment.
Ms Korneiko said: “Back home in Ukraine, I had an established career and a business with my husband, which we ran together. I was also very passionate about fitness and motivating others and so I had decided to become a trainer. When the war began, my husband and I decided that my son and I should leave the country and so I found myself in Scotland, starting from the very beginning.
“My diplomas and achievements from Ukraine mean very little here and when I arrived, I only knew about 10 words in English. I was very afraid that this was going to hold me back from finding work.
“I was lucky to be introduced to Learning for life which has given me so much confidence in my abilities. The team have shown me that nothing is impossible and after six weeks, I have been offered a job to work at Apex Hotels and my ambition now is to become a hotel manager.”
Gillian Dalziel, Learning for Life Programme Manager for Diageo in the UK, said: “At Diageo, we are committed to creating a positive impact within our communities. Learning for Life plays an important role allowing us to champion diversity and inclusion, not only in our business, but across the industry.
“Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, so many people have had to uproot their life and give up careers that they have worked so hard to develop. It has been a real honour to support the participants on this course to develop new skills and build relationships in the Scottish hospitality sector, which has so much to offer those looking for an exciting and rewarding career.”
Delivered through a series of courses that cater to adults at different stages on their journey to employment, the latest cohort completed the six-week Bartending and Hospitality course via a blend of face-to-face and digital training, as well as one week work experience with a local employer. The students also completed the Johnnie Walker Journey of Flavour tour and visited Glenkinchie Distillery.
Eight of the 14 graduates in Edinburgh have already secured roles with local employers, including Signature Pubs, Apex Hotels, IHG The Kimpton and The George Hotel.
Chris Gamm, Springboard CEO, said: “Every Learning for Life course has a huge impact on the lives of the trainees that take part, but none more so than this course, in which we’ve provided employability support to Ukrainian refugees with an interest in working in hospitality, many of whom have a language barrier, have experienced trauma and, understandably, suffer with low confidence.
“Hospitality offers great opportunities to overcome barriers and build a successful career, also to access part-time and flexible shift work, which is important to those with children.”
