Pub operator Greene King has launched a pilot graduate placement programme to educate young people in the skills of pub retailing.

The scheme sees two students take on the 48-week long industrial placement programme.

Last month the pilot scheme participants underwent an induction programme at Greene King’s Bury St Edmonds headquarters and have now joined their induction houses in London and Cheltenham.

Off-the-job training will see the students gain recognised industry qualifications at certificate IV level, including: becoming a personal licence holder; management of health and safety; beer and cellar quality; and first aid.

Terri Hardy, project manager for industrial placements at Greene King, said: “We want to encourage graduates to see the pub industry as an inspiring and viable career choice. By the age of 25, our graduates could be running an exciting business with a sizeable team, hundreds of loyal customers, and a £1m turnover.”

“We are keen to encourage the best young people into our company and schemes such as this will provide formal training and also highlights the opportunities that exist within Greene King,” he said. 

Greene King said course graduates would be as adept at changing barrels as they would working out profit margins.

The company is currently looking for more graduates to take part in the scheme this November. More information is available here.  

Chase the family pound, pub operators are urged >>

Greene King in £68m Loch Fyne deal >>

Greene King unveiled record results and brushes aside smoking ban worries >>

Smoking ban the catalyst as pub market diversifies >>

By Christopher Walton

E-mail your comments to Christopher Walton here.