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East Kent Colleges Group hosts the Minister for Employment

19 June 2025
East Kent Colleges Group was delighted to host the Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern MP, at our training hotel, The Yarrow.

The Minister for Employment has visited East Kent Colleges Group’s Broadstairs hotel, The Yarrow, to see firsthand the impact a new Government-backed training programme is having on upskilling jobseekers.

Alison McGovern MP, Minister for Employment at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spoke with students undertaking the programme, before hosting roundtable sessions with the college’s leadership, and employers that are working with the college to deliver the new course.

The training programme, which has been developed in collaboration with UKHospitality, ensures that jobseekers are developing the skills that employers in the sector need, with guaranteed work placements and an interview with a choice of employers upon completion.

Successful participants in the programme also receive a digital transferable award certified by OCN London and accredited by UKHospitality called a ‘Hospitality Skills Passport’ to demonstrate their competence and qualifications.

Chief Executive of East Kent Colleges Group, Lucy McLeod, said: “It is fantastic to showcase this exciting new provision to the Minister, and to give her the opportunity to speak directly to our learners to understand the impact it’s making on their lives.

“Across our Group we have always been committed to delivering transformative opportunities for those within the communities we serve, and this new qualification will help to ensure the hospitality sector is getting the skills it needs to continue to flourish and grow.”

Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern said: “We are determined to help people into good, secure jobs through our Get Britain Working reforms and I would like to thank East Kent Colleges Group for inviting me to see that ambition put into practice.

“Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes – or SWAPs – are an important part of this, offering training, workplace placements and a guaranteed interview to jobseekers. “Our hospitality SWAPs pilot, launched in partnership with UKHospitality, will help businesses find talented staff to fill the thousands of roles available in the sector.”