Catering Apprenticeship Level 2

There is a wide range of establishments in which a hospitality team member can work including bars, restaurants, cafés, conference centres, banqueting venues, hotels, or contract caterers.

The role is very varied and although hospitality team members tend to specialise in an area, they have to be adaptable and ready to support colleagues across the business.

Specialist areas in hospitality include food and beverage service, serving alcoholic beverages, barista, food preparation, housekeeping, concierge and guest services, reception, reservations, conference, and banqueting.

The most important part of the role is developing fantastic ‘hospitality’ skills and knowledge such as recognising customer needs, knowing how to match them to the products and services of the business, and working as part of a team to ensure that every customer, whether they are eating in a restaurant, drinking cocktails in a bar, ordering room service in a hotel or attending a business conference, feels welcomed and looked after.

An employer will determine their own entry requirements for an employee to commence this apprenticeship, but these general entry requirements apply; you have to be aged 16 years or over and must be working in the hospitality and catering sector for at least 30 hours a week. You also need to be a resident of England and not take part in full-time education.

The minimum duration for this apprenticeship is 12-14 months.

Progression from this apprenticeship is expected to be onto a hospitality supervisory or team leading role.

All hospitality team members must have the following core hospitality knowledge, skills, and behaviours in the area of Customer, business, and People.

And then the following optional elements will be covered for restaurant staff members:

Skills:

Ensure each stage of food and beverage service meets business/brand standards, including customer arrival, provision of information, promoting menu and other items, taking and processing orders, serving food and drink, and taking payments. Food and beverage service must be demonstrated in at least one food service style, such as table service, counter service, room service, or conference and banqueting

Behaviour:

Take a responsible approach to the preparation, sale, and service of food and beverages for example in relation to safe handling and storage, and accurately communicating the contents of products. Use appropriate opportunities to up-sell and promote additional products and services and actively seek opportunities to delight and ‘wow’ customers in line with the business/brand standard.

This is a vocational qualification with between 315 and 447 guided learning hours. During this time you can expect to be involved in formal learning activities which could include:

Supervised practical work in the workplace and assessment where an Assessor is present.

As this is a competence-based qualification you will be assessed in a real work environment – therefore need to either be working, or have a work placement with a hospitality establishment.

The apprentice will be assessed to the apprenticeship standard using four complementary assessment methods. The assessment is synoptic, i.e. takes a view of the overall performance of the apprentice in their job.

90 minute on demand multiple choice test, undertaken either on the employer’s premises or off site.

Project to look at an opportunity / challenge / idea to make an improvement to the business.

Take a look at our full list of Catering & Hospitality Apprenticeships.