2011 NBA awards off to a winner on news of Marriott training roll-out

Published on Monday 4 April 2011 15:49

A TRAINING programme run by the Marriott hotel in Glasgow is being rolled out across Scotland to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds into work.

The scheme helped to win Marriott the "employer of the year" prize at last year's National Business Awards, where fellow Scottish entrant Martin McCourt - chief executive of Dyson and Sir James Dyson's right-hand man - scooped the Orange leader of the year accolade.

News of the Marriott scheme's extension comes as this year's Orange National Business Awards are launched today, with The Scotsman as the media partner.

The Glasgow hotel has run projects in recent years to help groups including loan parents, young offenders and those receiving incapacity benefit to undertake training and find jobs in the hospitality trade.

In the latest scheme, the hotel offered jobs to five young people who had been in care, following a 12-week training scheme.

Patricia Rainey, cluster director of human resources at Marriott Hotels in Scotland, said: "This isn't a charity scheme.

"We offer the people taking part a mentor, support and a listening ear, but they know that they have to do work for us. We find the staff who join us after these training courses are very loyal."

Marriott is now trying out its community schemes at its hotel in Aberdeen, Dalmahoy and Edinburgh, and plans to commission an independent evaluation before rolling the scheme out across the UK.

Now in its tenth year, the National Business Awards is running a "Pride of British Business" campaign to seek out "the individuals and enterprises helping to restore confidence in UK plc".

Martin Stiven, vice-president of business at sponsor Orange, said: "In order to encourage confidence in UK business, we need to showcase those companies that are leading the pack and have demonstrated real innovation in the past year."

Contestants have until 15 June to enter. The finalists will be named on 28 July and the winners will be announced during a gala dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, at which the Chancellor, George Osborne, will deliver the keynote speech.

• For further details, visit www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk or call 020 7234 8755.