Shortage of workers across Irish hospitality sector

Young people are being encouraged to consider a career in tourism after a new study found a shortage of workers in the hospitality sector.

According to the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs there is a lack of qualified junior chefs and receptionists, amongst other skills across the country.

Fáilte Ireland welcomed the publication of the report and said it demonstrates the sectors in which skills are needed. It also said the study identified the need for greater retention of skilled staff within the sector.

Head of Hospitality at Fáilte Ireland John Mulcahy emphasised the importance of addressing the issue of skills shortage in the tourism industry.

“The research today indicates that staff exiting some sectors of the industry is a contributory factor in the skills shortfall. It is important therefore that the hospitality sector also implements measures to improve staff retention levels, particularly given the level of State investment in training.

“We do not only need to recruit skilled staff — we also need to retain them if we are to fundamentally address the skills shortage in the industry,” he added.

Mr Mulcahy said the skills shortage is concerning ahead of next year’s 1916 centenary celebrations.

“We would be worried about it from the point of view of how a tourist experiences the services, you know the normal restaurant or a pub or a hotel or whatever, that’s where we’d have concerns.

“In the short-term Fáilte Ireland are certainly working on this, while we have a tender out at the moment looking for providers that could provide junior chefs by the middle of March next year.”

Mr Mulcahy added that, ahead of the introduction of the new Apprenticeship Scheme early next year, Fáilte Ireland was providing funding for an interim initiative to train up to 150 commis chefs over the next few weeks.

The Restaurant Association of Ireland has said there are not enough chef training centres. Earlier this week it said currently 1,800 chefs qualify each year from certified culinary training programmes, but there was an immediate deficit of 5,000 chef trainees annually.