20/02/2020
A big topic came up in the office yesterday – it’s still being talked about now and I’m sure that everyone in the hospitality world is thinking about this too. I am referencing of course the Government’s plan to use a points-based system and associating the hospitality industry as a ‘low skilled’.
Let’s start with the points needed to gain entry to be eligible to apply for UK residence. I’ll use myself as an example – I was born in the UK; I am 26 years old. Let’s envisage I were an EU citizen wanting to live and work in the UK as a Commis Chef…I would currently earn myself an underwhelming total of 10 points (and that’s only because I can speak English at a required skill level).
According to Caterer.com as of today (20/2/2020) the average salary for a Commis Chef in London is £23,000 so I would not meet the wage expectations to gain a further 10 points. I haven’t been offered a sponsorship because unless you’re working in a large hotel group these don’t come up… According to the Government I don’t have a job at an appropriate skill level, so I also miss out on 40 points for this. I could have the chance to gain another 30 points but only if I have a PhD – which let’s face it, is not going to be likely for a commis chef on a salary of £23,000…
This points-based system alone will potentially wreak havoc on the hospitality industry - from suppliers to chefs to the staff members that place the food on the table and everyone in between! (Yes, don’t you forget those superstars that washup and clean your rooms after your stay!!)
Reading what Hawksmoor London wrote yesterday, “…What we need is character ... like empathy, hard work, interest in making others happy; life skills ... organisation, punctuality; and more than anything keenness and energy.” Yes you can spend X amount of money and get a degree to open the doors to your first look at hospitality life BUT you can start at the bottom of the ladder with no experience and you will be trained in this profession and achieve equal greatness of those who did.
So, although those with qualifications are a valuable addition to the industry, how will it fare when such a large percentage will be denied access? Thousands of “under pointed” skilled workers are the backbone of Restaurants all over the country and there will certainly be a ravine to fill when this point-based scheme is implemented.
As Fred Sirieix puts it himself “The hospitality industry is not appreciated or valued. How are we going to attract anyone to work? People will not want to be associated with an industry that is deemed for people that are stupid or cheap. [The government] is demonising the industry.”
