Bridging the gap between on-farm school leavers and the job market

Brian Berkman reports that a chain of upmarket hotels is talent-scouting in the agriculture sector, looking for school leavers with the potential to train for exciting positions in the hospitality industry and tourism.

- Brian Berkman

Innovative thinking and action during the COVID lockdown allowed The Peninsula All-Suite Hotel, in Sea Point, Cape Town, to thrive during the pandemic when many other hotels were shuttered and laid-off staff.

Art of Creation, the name for the business unit that sits at the heart of Dream Hotels & Resorts’ operations, aims to ensure it staff are taken care of while steering the business forward with impactful projects. 

Art of Creation is led by Chris Godenir, long-time custodian of The Peninsula All-Suite Hotel.

Godenir came up with out-of-the-box solutions during the COVID pandemic which included the hotel offering maintenance and laundry services to the Sea Point community as well as a meal-collection service. When the initial restrictions were relaxed a little, he made hotel rooms available for day use for people who wanted to work away from home while their offices remained shut.

SUCCESS DURING COVID 

September 2020 produced a greater income than September the previous year, which was before COVID, and made the hotel’s staff and shareholders very happy. While other businesses retrenched staff, Godenir found tasks and profitable things for hotel staff to do.

While continuing to oversee management of The Peninsula, Godenir is working with Dream Hotel & Resorts of which The Peninsula is a part, spearheading their Art of Creation initiative.