Inspire quality standard achieved for work experience programme

Harrison’s work experience programme at the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) has achieved Springboard’s INSPIRE Work Experience Quality Standard.

The company created the work-based learning programme to support the RNC’s commitment to preparing its students to transition to life after college. Students are selected from the college’s ASPIRE class to spend one day per week throughout the academic year working in either the back of house or the coffee pod with the catering team. Specific objectives are set for each term and a progressive approach is used to enable the students to acquire new skills and experience to meet the goals. Each student is assigned a Harrison staff member as a ‘buddy’ and is mentored by the catering manager. Structured monthly reviews give the students continuous feedback on their progress and how they can continue to develop, as well as providing Harrison with input on how the programme is working.

The work that students undertake through this programme also serves to reinforce functional skills, such as English, maths and ICT, which are taught at RNC and embedded as part of the main ASPIRE programme.

Ruth Bankover, Head of Work Experience and INSPIRE, said: “As the hospitality industry’s quality assurance for work experience, INSPIRE is designed to ensure planning and delivery of first class work experiences. The programme that Harrison has created at RNC is well-structured, with ample support to ensure the students have a successful experience—which has been demonstrated in their positive feedback. We congratulate Harrison on delivering quality work experience and are delighted to give their programme the INSPIRE accreditation.”

With the programme successfully piloted at RNC, Harrison plans to roll it out across its business in the coming year by creating a designated work experience site in each of its client service areas. The company is also currently working with catering colleges to offer work placement and traineeship opportunities and continues to support training opportunities for young people through The Geoffrey Harrison Foundation.

Notes to Editors
Founded in 1994, Harrison Catering Services is an independent, family-owned company providing contract catering to clients across the UK.

The Harrison proposition—Food with Thought—is centred around the on-site preparation and cooking of top quality meals made with fresh ingredients. Over 100 clients enjoy a Harrison foodservice, with more than 100,000 meals being served each day by approximately 2,000 staff across more than 270 locations.