The MAP initiative - a Modern Apprentice Plus programme that will nurture and fast track 25 of the hospitality industry's brightest and most ambitious young Scots each year - was unveiled on Friday 3 August as part of the brewer's ongoing investment in raising the bar across the on-trade in Scotland.
MP for Glasgow Central Anas Sarwar was in attendance at the company's Wellpark brewery to officially launch the MAP programme alongside Tennent Caledonian commercial MDSteve Annand and C&C Group corporate affairs director Paul Bartlett.
Funded and managed by Tennent Caledonian with support from Skills Development Scotland, applications for the prestigious new initiative are open from today, for young Scots already working in the industry.
Starting in September this year, the MAP will offer candidates an exceptional year of training excellence, building on the Scottish Government's standard Modern Apprenticeship framework with an enhanced programme of specialist courses, intensive work experience and senior-level mentorship.
Tennent Caledonian has designed the programme to give apprentices the skills, insight and experience that they believe are the keys to success for the future of the highly competitive hospitality industry - delivered through courses but also, for the first time, through direct mentorship from industry experts, including the Tennent's team behind Scotland's most successful alcohol brands.
The programme will be run across 27 days and will offer the core range of SVQ courses included in standard Modern Apprenticeship training, covering Hospitality, Food Hygiene, Health & Safety, Customer Service and Licensing. However it is the MAP's unique range of specialist courses and prestigious opportunities that set it apart in the industry:
· Enhanced course options: the chance to really specialise with top-level training courses such as Beer & Cellar Management, Licence Retail Operations, Professional Bartenders City & Guilds, Wines & Spirits Educational Trust Intermediate Wine, Award in Professional Cookery
· Intense work experience and mentorship: the chance to work closely and regularly with some of the best people working at senior level in the drinks and hospitality industry today, both within Tennent Caledonian and with a range of their partner businesses. A new opportunity that will equip apprentices with broad skills, expertise and best practise.
· Trade visits: as well as seeing behind the scenes at the brewery, broad industry insight will be offered through visits to see production first hand at whisky distilleries, cider mills and vineyards.
· Rigorous testing and assessment: a new final exam and close continual assessment to push candidates to get the very best from their MAP year. There will also be recognition for one MAP apprentice of the year at the end of the year.
The initiative will be managed from the Tennent's Training Academy, the centre of training excellence established at Wellpark Brewery in 2010 which was applauded by First Minister Alex Salmond during a tour of the facilities earlier this year.
MP for Glasgow Central Anas Sarwar commended the new MAP programme and the benefits it will bring to young people in the industry across Scotland.
Sarwar said: "I'm very pleased to be at Wellpark today to launch the new Modern Apprentice Plus programme, which is a good example of one a Scottish business pioneering within their industry and delivering world class ideas and opportunities. As we all know, jobs and training are an increasing challenge for many young people, and so it is extremely promising to see Tennent Caledonian's commitment to this initiative which will nurture 25 talented young people and provide them with an important boost in their career within the hospitality sector. Not only will this bring great individual reward for each of the apprentices who are lucky enough to take part, but the MAP programme sees Tennent's making an important investment into their industry and the future vitality and success of pubs, bars and many other outlets around the country, as these enhanced skills filter through over the years."
Steve Annand, commercial MD of Tennent Caledonia, added: "The launch of the new Modern Apprentice Plus Programme is an exciting next step for our business in terms of our ongoing investment in and commitment to building a vibrant and strong hospitality industry for Scotland in the future.
"Our industry is already packed with talented young people and the MAP will recognise the very best and give them a fantastic boost for their careers, whatever area of our business they hope to succeed in. We are also very excited that Tennent Caledonian will be taking an active role in the mentorship programme, and I'm hopeful that the activities we have planned will give invaluable insight into how the beer business works at every level. The MAP programme has been designed to offer the very best opportunity for young people in our business, so we are now looking for the best candidates to take part and would urge anyone with enthusiasm, drive and a passion for our industry to get their applications in."
