As a young child, Rosa had always wanted to work in a hotel, so starting her Hospitality Apprenticeship North East apprenticeship last September was an ambition realised. The 18-year-old is now enjoying her journey to a rewarding hospitality career. 

Here’s Rosa’s story:

“Since I was little, I have always loved being in hotels, in fact I wanted one of my own!

I started working in hospitality when I was 14, working as a waitress in a café until I left school. I did consider going to university but deep down I was looking for a different experience. It was only when I was helping a friend to look for another apprenticeship that I saw you could also do one in hospitality and knew it was what I wanted to do.

“My whole family can now see just how happy I am at Jurys Inn Union Square and that I am getting the best of both worlds. You are getting an education but also getting the skills and working at the same time. And with the work schedule, the masterclasses, and the learning bites, the opportunities on this apprenticeship are amazing.

“I love the energy and buzz of the hotel; you can just roll your sleeves up and get stuck in, there’s always something interesting to do and so many different situations to deal with. You never get bored.

“I have just completed my food and beverage rotation  and am now set to move into housekeeping, which is totally new to me. The chance to work in each department is so important, as you get to really know how the hotel works. And it also means you can develop the skills you need for duty management, which I would like to go on and do.

“Working at Jurys, I have seen my confidence grow – I used to get so nervous when dealing with people, but now it is just part of my day job. And I am seen as part of the team, in fact, in my second month, I was awarded `Employee of the Month’, which was amazing to be recognised.

“I feel so lucky to be in this position, and I am 100% certain my apprenticeship has opened a whole new chapter in my life.”

If Rosa’s story has inspired you – you can find out which hotels in your area are participating here

apply for the next intake of apprentices here