The visit saw officials meet with over 30 young people who were taking part in Skills Booster ‘Have a Go’ sessions including barista, culinary, bar and front of house training.
They were doing activities such as making coffee art, creating mocktails and a culinary master class. Sessions were delivered with partners including Change Please, Life Time Training and Murdo Macleod. Those taking part were able to talk about their journey into training or employment.
Jonathan Foot, director of skills and early careers at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “We are very proud of the impact Xcelerate with Edgbaston has on the local community and that it is enabling opportunities for people in the area and for our industry.
“It was great to welcome the Skills Minister and mayors to Xcelerate to showcase our programmes and the value these initiatives can bring. We remain committed to offering opportunities to develop and progress, regardless of people’s background and qualifications.”
Xcelerate with Edgbaston is a multi-million-pound training facility. Working with people from within and outside Compass, it aims to enhance people’s opportunities and change their lives through job creation, education, training, community and charitable engagement.
Since launch just over one year ago, Xcelerate has enabled the training of around 3,500 people, through hosting events and educational programmes. These include Sector Work Based Academies, Path 2 Apprenticeships and Skills Boot camps, which are supported by different funding streams including from the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Parker added: “I am committed to tackling unemployment in the region, especially for young people and it’s why I pledged to create 20,000 work placements for young people with our local businesses. The Xcelerate hub is a fantastic example of how we can enable young people to access meaningful training and jobs, and set themselves on a path to a better future.”