People 1st - Diploma in Hospitality

Fulfilling your potential, now and in the future.

New Diplomas for Young People

People 1st is working with you, developing two new Diplomas to be used as alternatives to the academic route for young people in school.

There will eventually be 17 Diplomas across all sectors. They are designed to engage learners by providing flexibility and choice, and are being developed in collaboration with employers to ensure their relevance and value.

The Diplomas provide flexibility and choice through a unique mix of traditional and work relevant learning. They are valued by employers and higher education institutions, as their combination of essential skills, relevant experience and applied learning provides an excellent grounding for careers and further learning. They give an insight into the world of work by allowing young people to participate in a practical, real-world environment - so they can make informed choices about the type of learning that best suits them and about what kind of work, training or further study they may want to do.

Diplomas will bring together:

Principal learning - focused on the skills and knowledge relevant to particular sectors

Generic learning - including functional skills in English, Maths and ICT, and Personal learning and thinking skills (including skills like problem solving, researching, and team working skills)

Additional/Specialist Learning - offering young people the opportunity to study a particular topic in more depth (Specialist learning – see below) or broaden (additional learning) their studies through complementary learning.

Work experience - a key feature.

Diplomas will give young people a fully rounded education, which combines theoretical and applied learning to equip them for further or higher education and long-term employability.

The Diploma in Hospitality will be ready for use in September 2009, and the Travel and Tourism Diploma by September 2010. This page concentrates on the work on the Diploma in Hospitality as we have carried out quite a lot of work on this already. The work on the Travel and Tourism Diploma started in June 2007.

Students will be able to select the level of Diploma and industry sector that suits them best, and we hope they will choose one of ours. The Diploma in Hospitality has been designed mainly by employers, higher education and practitioners, and the content reflects the skills that are valued by industry. It will teach life skills such as communication and customer service, as well as covering all aspects of hospitality and the careers within it. Learners at the advanced level (level 3) will also explore the process of running a business, so not only will they find out about all the different opportunities in the industry, they will also learn how  they can develop opportunities for themselves.

There are three levels of Diploma:

Foundation level (Level 1): equivalent in size to 5 GCSEs

Higher level (Level 2): equivalent in size to 7 GCSEs

Advanced level (Level 3): equivalent in size to 3 and a half A levels.

An advanced level (Level 3) 'progression' Diploma equivalent in size to two A levels, will also be available.

Employers of all different sizes and representing different parts of the industry have been involved in the work to date, including:

The Specialist Learning for the Diploma in Hospitality was designed with the “next step for the learner” in mind - considering where they may want to progress to if they pursue an interest in the industry. The topics reflect the broad range of careers within the industry. The Specialist Learning document relates to four topics, Food Preparation and Cooking, (at levels 1, 2 and 3), Food and Drink Service (at levels 1,2, and 3) Guest Services (at levels 1, 2 and 3) and Business and Administration including IT (at levels 2 and 3).

Specialist Learning provides an opportunity for students to gain a more in-depth understanding of an area they may wish to pursue when they move towards employment or further study, or simply to learn more about a subject that interests them. It is ideal for learners who enjoy cooking, or who already have an interest in pursuing a career as a chef, and those with an interest in the world of hotels, or who wish to study Hotel Management at university. The legislation relating to food safety and licensing is particularly relevant, as all qualifications that include the study of alcohol must also include the study of responsible drinking , highlighting the need for any necessary parental consent to study in this area.

Specialist Learning can also accommodate people who want to study wine tasting in more depth, or look at the financial aspects of a business.

Students / Parents Schools / Colleges Employers Higher Education