#058 - I'm In - Apprenticeships - All you need to know in 2026

This Podcast is Sponsored by Leonardo Hotels UK & Ireland

Host: Phil Street FIH

Guests:

Jill Whittaker FIH – Executive Chair, The Opportunity ProviderPaul Mannering FIH – National Hospitality & Culinary Lead, HIT TrainingMicaela Barrow FIH – Quality & Curriculum Director, The Opportunity Provider

Artwork and Branding: Sonia Cresswell MIH

Music by: Leon Williams FIH

I'm In! Apprenticeships: The Most Misunderstood Opportunity in Hospitality?

What if apprenticeships aren't simply a route into hospitality... but one of the most powerful tools we have for building careers, developing leaders and transforming lives?

In this episode, Phil Street is joined by Jill Whittaker, Paul Mannering and Micaela Barrow from HIT Training to explore the reality of apprenticeships in 2026.

From levy funding and common misconceptions to career pathways, leadership development and the changing expectations of younger generations, this conversation cuts through the noise and gets back to what apprenticeships have always been about: helping people become brilliant at what they do.

As Jill Whittaker perfectly puts it:

"At the end of the day, an apprenticeship is a period of time over which you work and study and get to be competent at your job"

In This Episode, We Discuss:

Why apprenticeships haven't fundamentally changed in over 100 yearsThe myths that continue to hold employers backHow apprenticeship levy funding actually worksWhy hospitality is still undersold as a career choiceThe role apprenticeships play in retention and employee engagementHow apprenticeships support people of all ages, not just school leaversThe flexibility available for different learning styles and life circumstancesWhy apprenticeships can become leadership development pathwaysHow employers can use apprenticeships to build future talent pipelinesThe changing expectations of Gen Z and Gen Alpha employeesWhy belonging and development matter more than everThe new Foundation Apprenticeship and what it means for hospitality employers

Outstanding Quotes from the Episode

"Everything else is process" – Jill Whittaker"We absolutely transform lives" – Micaela Barrow"Change the narrative from getting a job in hospitality to building a career in hospitality" – Paul Mannering"People feel invested in. They feel like they belong" – Jill Whittaker"Anything is possible with passion and positivity" – Phil Street"The apprenticeship minimum wage is a minimum, not a target" – Jill Whittaker"We need to sell the vision of what hospitality can become" – Micaela Barrow"Develop people to the highest level so they could leave. Treat them well enough that they never want to" – Jill Whittaker

Join the Conversation

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LinkedIn: Institute of Hospitality

Website: Institute of Hospitality

Hospitality has always been a people business.

Apprenticeships aren't about filling jobs. They're about building futures.

Apprenticeships simply give people the opportunity to become the very best version of themselves while helping businesses do exactly the same.

And that's something worth investing in.