Why the new apprenticeship could be a game-changer for hospitality

Over the summer the most significant reforms to apprenticeships in over a decade came into effect, creating a real moment of opportunity for the industry.

These reforms come at a pivotal time. Hospitality continues to face challenges when it comes to skills shortages, shifting customer expectations and the ongoing need for attracting and retaining diverse talent. By reducing certain barriers, introducing targeted programmes and ensuring training meets the needs of today’s workforces and employer demands alike, the new rules create better opportunities for more people to join our industry and build meaningful, lasting careers.

What are the changes to apprenticeships?

Reduced duration

Accelerated apprenticeships reduce the minimum duration from 12 months to just eight, where prior learning is recognised. In our sector, where career changers and experienced staff often form a large part of the workforce, this allows people to complete their qualification faster and enhance their skills in a more realistic timeframe.

For entry-level roles, such as the newly updated Level 2 Hospitality Team Member standard, the shorter duration can support seasonal recruitment and fast-track progression for those who demonstrate exceptional talent early. This revised standard places greater emphasis on customer experience, equality, diversity, inclusion and sustainability, which are topics that reflect the values and priorities of modern hospitality businesses and the guests they serve.

Off-the-job training time

There has also been a change to the time spent doing off-the-job training, where the rigid 20% of working hours formula has been replaced with fixed minimum training hours for each standard. This makes the system much clearer and more practical for hospitality operations.

At Umbrella Training, this training time is called “protected apprenticeship time”, and it can involve a wide range of learning experiences, from shadowing senior colleagues and managing projects to attending specialist training sessions or researching menu trends. This flexibility will help more employers confidently support apprentices without feeling constrained by a formula.

English and maths skills

Another change is the decision to remove the mandatory requirement for adult apprentices to pass Level 2 Functional Skills in English and maths. While these skills remain valuable, removing them as a formal exit requirement addresses one of the biggest barriers for talented individuals who may have struggled with exams in the past. It ensures that the focus stays on building practical skills and professional behaviours that employers truly value, as well as opening the door to a wider and more diverse pool of candidates.

Upcoming Foundation Apprenticeships

Although Foundation Apprenticeships are not yet available in hospitality, they hold real promise for the future. These employer-led programmes, designed for young people and those needing additional support, will offer a shorter, eight-month pathway into the workforce, with incentives for progression to higher levels. Umbrella Training is exploring how these could become a structured and supportive gateway into our sector, helping to tackle youth unemployment and inspire the next generation of hospitality professionals.

Employers have a say on assessments

The reform of the end-point assessment process means that employers will play a greater role in signing off the training apprentices have demonstrated, while training providers will assess progress throughout the programme. The final assessment will serve as a true path to completion, rather than a single high-stakes hurdle. This more holistic approach should better reflect the realities of the workplace and give apprentices a fairer opportunity to showcase their abilities.

Hospitality thrives on diverse, talented, passionate people and these apprenticeship reforms give us the tools to attract more of them, to train them better and to help them progress faster. The challenge now is to embrace these flexibilities and work together to show the next generation that hospitality is not just a job but a rewarding career full of possibility.

Adele Oxberry is the founder and chief executive of Umbrella Training

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