TORONTO — As the hospitality industry struggles with labour shortages across the country, a new program set up by Marriott International and Prince’s Trust Canada, a national charity established by HRH The Prince of Wales, is looking to support youth employment while growing the hospitality talent pool nationally.
The new Canada-wide partnership program called “Get into Hospitality” was launched today by Marriott International, the industry’s leading global lodging company with more than 6,700 properties across 129 countries and territories.
The announcement follows the company’s successful completion of its pilot project, which earlier this week, recognized 12 of its graduates at a luncheon at the Marriott Eaton Centre. The new Get Into Hospitality program saw 12 under-employed and underserved young people in Toronto get two weeks of rigorous classroom training and two weeks of fully paid job-shadowing training at Toronto area hotels. The young people finished the program with new skills, improved confidence and jobs. Marriott International committed to hiring at least 50 per cent of the program participants.
“We’re excited to be partnering with Marriott International on the Get into Hospitality program,” said Sharon Broughton, CEO of Prince’s Trust Canada. “I’ve seen firsthand how the program gives young people the confidence they need to believe in themselves, to aim higher and succeed in all aspects of their lives. Marriott International is an industry leader and their commitment to employee development, the diversity of their operations and the number of jobs available across Canada make them an ideal partner.”
Earlier this week, Broughton was at the graduation luncheon recognizing the program’s first graduates and stressed that the Princes Trust is a “national charity committed to delivering programs that unlock the potential of young people. The impact is truly remarkable,” she said, “With opportunity and hard work, almost anything is possible,” she told special guests at the luncheon.
In addition to helping young people struggling to find employment, the hospitality-focused curriculum and paid workplace-experience program supports the expanding travel and tourism industry in Canada by preparing young Canadians for careers in the industry.
“We are proud to be the hospitality partner of choice for Prince’s Trust Canada. Marriott International recognizes the importance of helping to prepare young people for careers and college programs in the hospitality industry, and this is an additional step towards building a solid foundation for the future of tourism and hospitality work in Canada,” said Don Cleary, president of Marriott Hotels of Canada. “This new and innovative program offers training to the Marriott associates of tomorrow and we look forward to launching it across Canada, changing young peoples’ lives and helping to propel local economies across the country.”
Globally, the hospitality industry is expected to support 126-million jobs over the next 10 years, causing the demand for talent to outpace talent supply. In a context where, globally, more than half of the population is under 30 and where youth unemployment is twice the level of adults, developing meaningful and sustainable employment for young people under 30 is essential.
This employment initiative reflects Marriott’s commitment to provide opportunity and supports its sustainability and social impact platform, Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction.
The Prince’s Trust Canada was established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2011, Prince’s Trust Canada is a national charity focused on transforming lives and building sustainable communities in Canada. The trust works to unlock potential in three key areas — providing entrepreneurship training for veterans and transitioning Canadian Armed Forces members; helping young people build confidence through employability programs; and supporting Indigenous communities as they revitalize and protect their languages.
