FOR COMMUNITY & EMPLOYABILITY PARTNERS
A genuine pathway into hospitality careers.
Structured, funded training that helps people become genuinely job-ready -- not just another workshop.
Why this matters
The gap, and who can close it
There are currently 1,300 young people locally who are either seeking work or NEET (not in education, employment, or training). On average, there are 3 candidates for every hospitality vacancy in the area -- the barrier isn't a lack of jobs, it's readiness and access.
Major employers are already proving structured pathways work. Kier Construction's social value programme -- including prison programmes, workshops, and work experience tied to the Berwick Academy redevelopment -- shows what's possible when organisations invest properly in routes into work.
Nationally, government funding through the Youth Guarantee is specifically targeted at closing this exact gap, creating an estimated 350,000 new workplace opportunities for young people aged 18-24, delivered through local, commissioned partners.
Acorn to Oak
HOW I CAN HELP
Acorn to Oak is structured training that gives people a genuine, practical first step into hospitality -- not a generic employability course, but sessions built specifically around what hiring managers actually look for, delivered by someone who's spent a career on the hiring side.
Delivered flexibly -- as standalone workshops, a structured multi-week programme, or embedded within an existing employability service.
See Acorn to Oak in detail →
The parts of the job no course prepares you for
What makes a hospitality employer say yes, straight from someone who's done the hiring
Confidence and workplace readiness, built at a realistic pace
Ongoing support through the Oak Project community, continuing once the workshop ends and employment begins.
Simple, from first message to delivery
HOW IT WORKS
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We talk through referral pathways, funding, and what delivery could realistically look like.
A tailored programme
Sessions built around your cohort's needs, timeline, and goals -- not a fixed template.
Delivery, with follow-up built in
Support doesn't end when the session does -- follow-up is part of the plan, not an upsell.
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Get in touch
Tell me about the people you support, and what's not working currently.
A conversation about partnership
Before you get in touch
COMMON QUESTIONS
How is this funded?
Acorn to Oak is designed to be commissioned through existing employability and skills funding — such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Youth Guarantee delivery contracts, or your organisation's own commissioning budget. Get in touch to talk through the right funding route for your area.
Can this fit within a programme or contract we already run?
Yes. Acorn to Oak can be delivered as a standalone commission, or embedded within an existing employability service, referral pathway, or funded programme you're already running.
How do you report on outcomes?
Reporting is shaped around what your organisation needs — typically covering attendance, engagement, and progression outcomes such as movement into work, further training, or continued support. I'm happy to work within your existing reporting framework rather than asking you to adapt to mine.
What's the typical scale or commitment?
Delivery begins with a focused pilot cohort, allowing outcomes to be tested and refined before scaling to a wider rollout.