A new partnership aims to bring more women into the hospitality and tourism sector to bridge the employment shortages by showcasing career development opportunities. The Women Breaking Barriers initiative has teamed up with the Hospitality and Tourism Skills (HATS) Network to explore issues such as the factors preventing more women from entering the industry and the excellent career opportunities available.

The partnership launches with a special online Employer Insight event on February 6 to look at the way the industry is changing in order to encourage more women to seek hospitality and tourism jobs.

Speakers at the event include: Una Burns, Manager of Charlies Bar; Heather Graham, Head of HR, Titanic Belfast; Caroline McComb, MD of McComb’s Coach Travel and Rob Rees, Head of People and Culture, Hastings Hotels.

Helen Crickard, from the Women Breaking Barriers Project, said the aim was to bring women and key employers together to see how they can help solve the employment shortages currently affecting the industry.

She said that employers were increasingly aware of the need to invest in people to ensure their businesses move forward.

“We will be exploring challenging areas such as women’s safety, childcare and perceived low pay. Women want employers who are able to offer a career path and progression but who are mindful of family commitments. It is important to them that there are good employment practices in place,” Helen said.

She also pointed out that with fewer young people joining the employment market, women returners are seen as vital in plugging the gap.

“Businesses are increasingly reaching out to this demographic so women who were previously invisible to employers are now seen as valuable players,” Helen said.

Roisin McKee, Project Director of HATS, who is hosting the online event, said this new partnership with Women Breaking Barriers was an important strand of the strategy to address staffing and skills shortages in the industry.

”HATS Network welcomes this partnership with Women Breaking Barriers to showcase tourism and hospitality as a viable and attractive career option for women. The sector is strategically important to the Northern Ireland economy in terms of its potential to generate growth and create jobs. And it’s bursting with some of the most exciting and diverse career opportunities imaginable.

“Against the backdrop of a competitive labour market, employers are looking at ways to proactively tap into diverse labour pools, such as women returners. Many businesses are rethinking their attraction and retention strategies and workplace policies to encourage people to develop a career in our industry and we’re looking forward to showcasing what the sector has to offer.”

The employer-led Hospitality & Tourism Skills Network (HATS) funded by Invest Northern Ireland, Tourism NI and the NI Hotels Federation brings together sector businesses, education and government to help address industry skills shortages and is committed to driving change to attract, develop and retain the future talent the industry needs.

Women Breaking Barriers is a collaborative project involving multiple women’s centres and network organisations across Northern Ireland. It provides education and support to equip women with the skills necessary to overcome personal barriers to employment. It is funded by the United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).