The flagship Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel and four local Liverpool schools have announced a new and exciting outreach programme. The schools include The academy of St Francis of Assisi, Archbishop Blanch School, The Academy of St Nicholas, and Notre Dame Catholic College.
Based in the heart of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village, which opened in July 2022, has partnered with four local schools in Liverpool to educate students on why the hospitality industry is a desirable career option.
The unique programme will see four schools from the local area participate in six bespoke workshops, which will include students working closely with a number of departments including the cafe, kitchen, front of house, sales, bar, and housekeeping. Activities also include support with front of house tasks, providing programmes focused on bar, restaurant, and housekeeping training, removing the stigma around careers in hospitality and supporting students to aspire to prosperous futures.
Through its school outreach programme, Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel aims to support students aged 13-16 to feel confident and achieve their career goals, providing access to the support and resources they need to pursue a career in the hospitality sector and achieve success.
The hotel aspires to be a catalyst for delivering change for the young people in Kensington and the wider Liverpool City Region.
Howard Lewis, general manager, said:
“I am excited to be welcoming students from the local area to come and visit the hotel. I am also eager for them to see what amazing opportunities await for those who may not have considered a career in the hospitality industry as a viable option.
“The end goal for the outreach programme is to create a working environment that builds a legacy within the local community, and that starts by educating local students on the diverse range of jobs available in the sector. I also want to present working at the hotel as something to aspire to.
“It is essential that we support our local area, and this exciting new outreach programme is sure to go a long way in doing so.”
Amber Howard, HR manager, said:
“The feedback we received from the teachers was that a lot of the students were receptive and engaged by the opportunity to work at the Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village.
“Some of the students come from low income backgrounds and had therefore never stepped foot inside a hotel before and so for us to pass on these types of opportunities to local students is very important indeed.
“It was a fantastic day, and we’re looking forward to providing local students with more tangible job opportunities in the future.”
Cllr Harry Doyle Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for culture and the visitor economy, said:
“Tourism is so important to Liverpool and the hospitality industry is at its very heart.
“It’s great that Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village has committed to this outreach programme. It will give our young people invaluable insight behind the scenes of this varied sector which will support them to make good choices about what steps they want to take as they get ready to leave education.”
Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village has been chosen as the flagship hotel for the new £1bn Paddington Village development. Constructed by Morgan Sindall Construction, the Liverpool City Council-owned hotel is franchised by Accor and will be managed by Legacy Hotels & Resorts on the council’s behalf. The hotel has been designed by Ryder Architecture, with Faithful+Gould acting as project managers.
Knowledge Quarter Liverpool is a world-leading innovation district at the east gateway to the city, home to some of the world’s most influential players in science, health, technology, education, music, and the creative performing arts. The hotel has been designed specifically with this in mind.