With the UK food industry facing serious labour shortages, the Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association has launched a new recruitment site to support the sector.
PAPA (www.jobs.papa.org.uk) will both encourage people to develop careers in the industry and help promote the job opportunities the industry offers.
Research by The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association has revealed that there are increasing difficulties with recruitment in the industry as Brexit and the weak pound make it less attractive for non-UK nationals to work in the UK. The industry currently relies on a high number of overseas employees. Indeed, over 70% of those working in London businesses are from outside the UK and over 40% in the rest of the country.
There are also increasing shortages of skilled pizza chefs, which is not helped by the fact that chefs from the fast food and takeaway sectors are excluded from the Home Office skills shortage lists.
“While we are lobbying government about the potential consequences of tighter immigration controls for our industry, we also recognise that we must do more to promote the opportunities in the sector,” says PAPA Director Jim Winship. “We need also to encourage more young people and part-timers to consider careers with us.
“Not only is this an exciting industry to work in but it genuinely offers real opportunities for people to develop their careers. Indeed, there are many examples of people starting as delivery drivers and rising to become managers or owners of their own businesses.
“The new site has already received support from some of the UK’s largest organisations, with Pizza Hut, Stateside Foods and even Harrods registering roles.”
