Member Article

Curry used to combat North East youth unemployment

A scheme to get unemployed North East youngsters into work through catering training has taken on a life of its own, with the buy-in of a regional business network.

The Academy 4 Catering Excellence (A4CE) has already found seven young people work in independent and international restaurant chains.

Developed by the not-for-profit group Asian Business Connexions (ABC), the Academy was partly born from a need to train more chefs for the Indian restaurant trade - a cause the group have campaigned to raise awareness of for some time.

Now the scheme has grown to encompass all quarters of the catering industry.

Experienced chefs and kitchen staff provide front of house, food hygiene and preparation skills training, and youngsters are also exposed to entrepreneurial thinking from restaurant owners.

ABC head of business development, Rick Shabilla, told Bdaily: “We spotted an unemployment trap that many 16-24 year-olds are falling into.

“Very few were getting out of that trap. We came up with the Academy to give unemployed people or those on a low income to learn from a top curry chef.

“They learn how to cook a full three course meal from highly skilled people.”

The trainees work three days per week over five weeks, working in the kitchens of ABC figure Jaf Ali’s Dabbawal restaurant and the kitchen at Newcastle College.

At the end of the scheme, trainees present their food to hundreds of business leaders at the ABC Curry Club events.

Rick added: “The idea is to give these people an opportunity to network with lots of employers who can give them a job there-and-then, in an informal setting.

“The employers are so much more likely to take someone on board that has demonstrated their skills, and engaged with them in an informal setting.

“We also present the trainees and show how many of them have come from unemployed periods of 6-7 months or even years, and gone on to accrue new skills, friends and confidence.”

Academy trainees are exposed to hospitality entrepreneurs such as Jaf and ABC founder Ammar Mirza, and his Amazing Leisure firm.

Rick added: “The beauty of this course is that trainees are doing something off their own back, and not a course the jobcentre have forced upon them.

“It’s been fantastic to see our trainees undergo this personal development process over the five week period, and we can’t wait to help more along the way.”

The next Academy 4 Catering Excellence cohort will begin in early April. For all training opportunities please contact rick@abconnexions.org

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .