The Alternative Hotel Group has launched an academy to encourage, inspire and create talented hospitality industry stars of the future through the provision of work-based learning.

The De Vere Academy of Hospitality is launched this week at De Vere Wychwood Park  in Crewe and will host up to 300 students over the next 12 months.

The academy at Wychwood Park will be the second in the UK following the successful launch of its site at De Vere Cheadle House in January 2010. Academy participants will study for a Level Two apprenticeship in either professional cookery or customer service.

The De Vere Academy’s ultimate aim is to train 10,000 young people onto accredited training programmes over the next three years with three further academies in the pipeline for launch in the coming months in Milton Keynes and Greenwich, London.

The academy aims to:

• Create an initiative that improves opportunities for large numbers of young people – something with scale
• Bring real value to our industry, delivering on the skills gaps which currently exist and deliver a talent pipeline for the future
• Design this initiative based on real-life and real-work experience, giving students all the tools required to make a career for themselves and giving employers incentive to employ them
• Make it really inclusive for anyone with passion, drive and a real spark, regardless of academic achievements, social backgrounds or even challenging behaviour

The academy introduces students to the world of hotel life, educating them in fundamental hospitality skills, ultimately working towards achieving a Level Two National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and to date, all 167 of students have achieved this.

Support has come from all across the UK. Hilton Hotels, Crowne Plaza, Manchester City FC, the Trafford Centre and many more enterprises are all getting all involved too. AHG has forged strong links within the hospitality industry with partners offering the students invaluable experience of the hospitality sector by working within the hotels and venues.

The De Vere Academy’s initial goal was to train approximately 300 students a year in its first school at Cheadle House. However, as the programme progressed, it became quickly apparent that the model was scalable to locations throughout the UK. Due to the outstanding results in achievement, completion and ultimate placement, the academy has become an attractive proposition for many local authorities. Indeed, Stockport has reported a 5.5% reduction in its projected NEET figures since the launch of the first De Vere Academy, and attributes this reduction directly to the opening.

Using this platform, NAS has actively encouraged the academy to adopt an aggressive roll-out programme with the intention of creating national coverage. It was with this in mind that the concept of the second academy was agreed. Three further locations have also been scheduled:

• De Vere Harben House, Milton Keynes opening in October 2010
• De Vere Academy, Silk House, Liverpool opening January 2011
• De Vere Devonport House, Greenwich opening in February 2011

Richard Balfour-Lynn, chief executive of Alternative Hotel Group, said: "At The De Vere Academy we believe in the boundless potential of young people, whether that is to be our business in the future or part of our industry going forward. We do not differentiate, we take young people who want to learn, have the drive to succeed and the ambition to do well. We give them an opportunity to achieve an academic qualification whilst gaining invaluable work experience. We will deliver the very best quality training in a fantastic facility with the sole intention of changing young people’s lives.

"We hope that we not only change the perception of the industry as a career but build an amazing talent pool of future hospitality stars. We are confident that by giving these young people the best start possible we may ultimately attract them to work for us in years to come.

"Our mission is simple: Great service for Great Britain."