Alex Marshall, the BII NITAs Apprentice of the Year: Front-of-House & Management, has seen his career accelerate since winning the much coveted award last November, being promoted to General Manager at Brewhouse & Kitchen in February. He joins BII’s Teah Pancheva MBII to talk about his hospitality journey and why apprenticeships are important.
Having “fallen into” hospitality, from bar job to management, Alex explains how his career journey has developed, thanks to managers encouraging him to get onto a career pathway. “The management at Brewhouse & Kitchen made me want to stay there…it’s great to have those people behind you,” says Alex. “Originally, when you’re there just pulling pints behind a bar, you’re not thinking too much about a career, but when somebody says to you ‘well, here are your options’… that’s when it clicked for me.”
Alex’s journey with Brewhouse & Kitchen has seen him working at three sites, in Horsham, Worthing and now Southsea, progressing from bar work to Supervisor (completing a Level 3 Supervisor Apprenticeship) to Assistant to General Manager. He is currently on an Operations Manager Apprenticeship – the route to becoming a Regional Manager, but equally Alex could end up owning his own business.
“Hospitality is a fantastic route for people to go down…. The lovely thing about Brewhouse & Kitchen is that it’s a big company, where you don’t know everybody, but small enough that you know most people. It’s a good company to work for.”
Alex adds: “Until people tell you they believe you can do this, you don’t do it. If a company has that faith in you, you do it – absolutely.”
Apprenticeships, as a route to progress your career, work really well, says Alex. “A lot of people in hospitality aren’t the most academically-inclined, but are getting a lot out of apprenticeships because it’s practical and hands- in.
“It has that edge. But when I was finishing GCSEs, if someone had suggested an apprenticeship to me, I’d have said, ‘no I’m smart enough to do a degree’… but it’s not about that, there’s a lot more to apprenticeships than that.
“There are many benefits to doing one… apprenticeships open doors to people, providing experience on the work ladder – a degree doesn’t give you work experience and often employers look for experience over a grade or qualification.
Alex adds: “If you are offered one, you’d be silly to turn one down.”
Top Tip
If you’re applying for a promotion or new role, make sure your application looks professional, says Alex. Include interesting information about you, whether you’ve done volunteering, a Duke of Edinburgh Award, or whatever. “You want to see someone’s personality in their application,” says Alex. It’s not just about work experience. “Sell yourself on your CV… we’re in hospitality – ultimately you’re selling yourself and products to the customer, if you’re applying for a front-of-house role. You need to make yourself stand out a bit.”
Say if you go to watch the football every week, if you have a passion for art or music, and say how that could help you in your job – talking points, enthusiasm and passion for something.
