Written evidence submitted by People1st
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 People1st is the sector skills council for
hospitality, leisure travel and tourism. We are a government-recognised,
industry-focused body established to support the development of
skills and training within these industries.
1.2 People1st covers the 14 industries that
make up the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector. These
industries are key to the delivery of a successful visitor experience
for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
1.3 At a time when there is much focus on the
delivery of the Games we are pleased that the Select Committee
is taking an opportunity to examine the important issue of the
legacy of the Games.
1.4 We are concerned that although much focus
is given to the legacy to the sporting and physical infrastructure
from the games, there is little focus on legacy from an employment
and skills perspective.
1.5 In reference to the scope of the inquiry
this lack of focus on skills legacy will impact on:
— The ability to deliver lasting social,
physical and economic regeneration.
— The ability to maximise the value of
the Olympic legacy both within the host boroughs, London and across
the UK.
— The measurement of that successful legacy.
2. LEGACY ISSUE
1: MAXIMIZING THE
VALUE OF
THE GAMES
FOR THE
UK
2.1 The hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism
sector has a strong role to play in social and economic regeneration.
It is able to offer employment with low barriers to entry to employees
from diverse backgrounds whether this is by social, academic or
other measures, but at the same time provide progression into
sustainable careers.
2.2 The Government Olympic Executive estimates
the Games generate 111,000 jobs, many of these in our core sectors
of hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector.
2.3 Our National Skills Strategy published
in March 2007 and refreshed in January this year was welcomed
by Lord Coe as key to improving the visitor welcome and ensuring
the Games is used as a catalyst for improvement in our sectors.
2.4 The Skills Strategy for our sector consists
of a robust 10-point plan which will improve impact in key areas
such as management, customer service, training and ensuring employers
have a route to recruit skilled employees through an industry
job portal.
2.5 While the Games is rightly seen as a catalyst
to improve skills and offer employment to a broad base we are
concerned that 2012 runs the danger of being an end point in the
planning horizon for government at national and regional levels.
2.6 While much attention is given to the future
of the physical infrastructure we are concerned at a lack of a
cohesive plan and a lack of joined up action to ensure the skills
legacy beyond the Games.
2.7 It is our view that the Games will mark
the start of a "golden decade" of major sporting events
to be hosted in the UK which will include Two Ryder Cups, The
Rugby World Cup and potentially the Football World Cup.
2.8 In light of this decade of opportunity we
feel there is a need for strong leadership specifically around
skills legacy to plan and ensure the UK benefits from the potential
uplift to its visitor economy.
2.9 Without proper planning around skills we
are concerned that the impact of the Games will not be a legacy
of skilled workers but the creation of a short term employment
bubble with little long-term impact or benefit to communities,
businesses or individuals.
3. LEGACY ISSUE
2: MAXIMIZING THE
VALUE OF
THE GAMES
AMONG SMES
3.1 People1st enjoys the support of the top
200 employers in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism
sector who support and guide our co-ordinating role around skills
and training in the sector.
3.2 These employers will play an important role
in ensuring the right staff with the right skills are in their
businesses in time for the 2012 Games. This support is critical
in addressing the long term skills needs of the sector in critical
areas such as customer service, management and improved technical
skills for chefs.
3.3 Despite this, 80% of our businesses in the
hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sectors are small and
micro businesses.
3.4 Engaging this part of the sector in training
and improving skills will be critical in ensuring maximum economic
impact of the Games and a positive legacy for the sector.
3.5 Research for our National Skills Strategy
showed only 23% of micro-businesses know who to contact for training
funding and only 1.5% of small businesses have applied for public
training funding.
3.6 The micro-businesses and small businesses
in broad local areas around the Games will play a key role in
determining positive visitor perceptions. These are key to driving
return visits which will be critical to the positive economic
legacy of the Games.
3.7 Despite the amount of support, our research
shows that sector businesses are unlikely to engage with existing
skills advisers, such as Business Link brokers. Greater impact
is more likely to be achieved through a sector-specific solution
that has national resonance, but that is implemented locally co-ordinated
by a local college or training provider.
4. MEASUREMENT OF
LEGACY
4.1 Our sector, like many others, faces structural
deficits in the professional areas which are key to its future
success.
4.2 We welcome the Games as a catalyst for addressing
key requirements such the need for an additional 66,700 chefs
and 58,000 managerial jobs by 2017.
4.3 We also recognise that the Games should
have a positive impact in reducing the level of unqualified people
in our workforce—currently standing at 12%.
4.4 As part of our call for strong leadership
around the issue of skills legacy People1st calls for robust measurement
relating specifically to the impact of the Games on addressing
long term sector skills needs.
5. CONCLUSION
5.1 We are confident that the Games has the
capability to act as a catalyst for employers in our sector.
5.2 We feel the Games can offer a sustainable
positive legacy from a social impact perspective resulting in
improved employment and skills and this will have lasting economic
benefits.
5.3 They also offer the opportunity to engage
with the micro-businesses and small businesses whose skills are
key to the future health of the visitor economy.
5.4 Ensuring there a positive skills legacy
needs leadership, oversight, and a strategic horizon which goes
beyond London 2012.
5.5 We have deliberately focused on two narrow
areas of 2012 Games legacy but would be happy to give oral evidence
to the committee.
February 2010
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