Nine promising future hotel managers have celebrated their graduation from an innovative talent development programme.
The hotel employees, from across the UK, have completed the year-long Pyramid programme run by RBH, the UK’s leading independent hotel management company.
Their graduation celebration was held at Crowne Plaza London – Docklands in front of various members of RBH senior management, as well as colleagues who mentored them throughout their Pyramid journey.
Over the course of the programme, the candidates took part in a range of masterclasses to learning a range of skills required to fast-track them into more senior management roles – covering topics from leadership to quality control and the achievement of a profitable business through focusing on operational excellence.
And the programme is already boosting the careers of its participants, with more than half of this year’s graduates being promoted during the process – four of them to Deputy General Manager positions.
Katie Herbert, who started the programme as a Food & Beverage Manager at Mottram Hall Hotel and graduates as Deputy General Manager at Holiday Inn Express London – Epsom Downs, said: “I’m thrilled to be graduating the Pyramid Programme. It’s been an intense year, and a steep learning curve, but I’ve developed so many new skills – which has ultimately resulted in me securing my first Deputy General Manager role, which I’m exceptionally proud of.
“We’ve all taken so much from the various training sessions, and I think I speak for all the graduates when I say we feel fully-equipped to take on the next stages of our careers, and any challenges that are thrown at us.”
Niki Fincham, Group Learning and Development Manager at RBH, said: “We’re always very proud to see our ‘Pyramiders’ graduate from the programme, and this group is no exception. They’ve all committed themselves fully to the course and made the most of the opportunity to learn and develop their skill set.
“Developing and retaining talent is a top priority within RBH, and initiatives like Pyramid – together with our other talent development programmes – help us to do just that. We want to give employees at all levels within the business the opportunity to grow and take on new skills. To see more than half of this year’s graduates be promoted during the programme is just fantastic, and the remaining candidates are well on their way to taking the next steps in what I’m sure will be long and successful careers within the industry.”
Alongside Pyramid, RBH also runs the Management Foundation Degree for promising young hospitality stars aged 18 and over, as well as the ExCel programme designed to take Deputy General Managers into the next stages of their careers.