Published On: 30 December 2022Categories: Blog3.8 min read

Catering is an industry that provides employment to many and helps the economy in numerous ways. 

It is a vast sector that covers a broad range of services, from food preparation, serving and event planning to hospitality management. Catering helps create employment opportunities for those with limited job prospects and can have a positive impact on local economies, both directly and indirectly.

Employment Opportunities

One of the main ways in which catering helps to create employment is through its demand for labour. 

Many businesses operating in this sector, such as restaurants, bars and pubs, employ a large number of staff including cooks, chefs, waiters and bartenders. This type of employment can be attractive to people who do not have many qualifications or experience, as it does not require specialised skills and can be quite flexible in terms of hours. 

Catering also provides great career progression where hard work is really celebrated and efforts are rewarded. Training and guidance can be offered to those in the catering industry which enables staff to progress through their career through promotions. Catering is a really appealing job for young people and those who rely on flexibility within their jobs due to studying. 

According to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, 84% of hospitality and catering employers who have recruited in the past year have employed a young person and 45% had recruited a young person aged 16-18. Catering is helping to tackle youth unemployment, whilst building an invaluable talent pipeline for the future. 

Career Progression 

Catering not only requires successful kitchen staff, but the front-of-the-house staff team and hospitality managers are also just as important to ensure efficient food service and customer satisfaction. 

The variety of different job titles and career paths within the catering industry ensures that people of all levels and skill sets can be employed. Not only does catering provide a variety of job roles, but the tasks of each day can be also very varied. 

People working in the catering industry have to adapt and change the needs of a customer each day, so the job role is perfect for people who have a background in any kind of customer service or people-facing environment.

Local Economy  

The value of catering to some more remote areas of the country is crucial. It is a major contributor to wages and profits in areas that appeal to tourists which are likely to have few alternative wealth-creating sectors, such as the Lake District, coastal towns, and remote areas of Scotland and Wales. 

Without catering and hospitality, these regions would offer very few alternative employment opportunities. But while catering and hospitality are more significant in some areas than others, it remains an important industry throughout almost all of the UK.

The direct economic impact of the catering industry is significant. By providing jobs to people and businesses, catering helps to stimulate spending in the local economy. 

With more money being spent, there is an increased demand for services and goods which leads to further job creation. This then leads to a reduction in unemployment levels, helping to create a booming economy. 

Catering also has an indirect economic impact, as it helps to support other sectors of the economy. Event planning and hospitality can often be necessary for large-scale occasions such as business meetings and conferences. 

As a result, catering businesses help to generate additional revenue for other industries such as transportation and hotels. This creates a ripple effect whereby businesses can generate more revenue, resulting in increased economic activity.

Catering also helps boost the economy through its taxes and spending power. Businesses in this sector generate revenue by selling food and drinks to customers, which results in them paying various taxes such as sales tax or value-added tax. This money is then used to fund public services, infrastructure, and other government initiatives, which help to stimulate economic growth.

Finally, catering helps increase consumer spending power and local incomes. When people spend money at catering establishments – whether it’s for a meal or an event – this money goes back into the economy. This helps to create jobs in other sectors and boosts incomes for those who are employed in catering, which in turn leads to increased consumer spending power.

Overall

In summary, catering plays a key role in creating employment opportunities and stimulating economic activity. It is an industry that provides jobs to people of all ages, skill sets and backgrounds, helping to reduce youth unemployment levels. The taxes generated by the catering sector also help fund public services and other government initiatives which support the local economy.