On Friday 4th October, The Belfry Hotel & Resort hosted its second annual Springboard Takeover Day, showcasing careers in the hospitality industry to children from eight local schools. The 120 students, from years 9 to 11, took part in six workshops designed to highlight the wide range of opportunities available in the sector.
Chris Eigelaar, Resort Director at The Belfry, spoke to students about his 26-year-long career in hospitality and his love for the industry. Chris Gamm, CEO of Springboard, shared his insight into the different opportunities available with Springboard, as well as his experience in the sector.
Reflecting on the day, Chris Eigelaar said: “I am extremely passionate about showing how you can create an extraordinary career in hospitality, and the Springboard Takeover Day provided us with a fantastic opportunity to do exactly that. From mixology to meeting and event service, culinary arts to towel art, students were able to experience firsthand the variety of rewarding career paths available in this industry.
“Hospitality offers more than just a job—it is a long-term career where you can grow, develop valuable skills, and make a real impact on people’s experiences. There are endless opportunities to thrive and succeed in our industry and it was an honour to showcase this at The Belfry.”
Engaging in interactive, hands-on experiences, the workshops gave students the chance to meet, listen to and work alongside industry experts. The classes, hosted by The Belfry team, included:
- Towel art, where students made swans with the Housekeeping Team
- A chef’s tasting session with Senior Head Chef Dean Cole
- Mocktail masterclass for those interested in mixology and working in a bar
- A venue tour, where students were able to meet different teams across the resort from reception to Food & Beverage Assistants
- Gala service, to see how the meetings and events team deliver large-scale conferences, events and weddings.
Each workshop host identified a ‘rising star’ student and prizes included vouchers for a round of golf, afternoon tea or Sunday lunch for four at The Belfry.
The workshops were followed by a careers exhibition where students were able to speak to other West Midlands hotels, as well as The Belfry’s suppliers including its hospitality and greenkeeping apprenticeship providers.
Kirsten Price, Head of People and Culture at The Belfry, said: “It was a delight to host local students and be able to provide them with a real behind-the-scenes look at a variety of roles. We want to spark their passion and show the next generation how they can thrive in an industry that is all about people, innovation, and opportunity.”
National charity, Springboard, helps disadvantaged and unemployed people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life to fall in love with hospitality, leisure and tourism, and gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to flourish in a lifelong career within these industries.
Sarah Dullea, Senior Careers Lead at Shire Oak Academy, shared her feedback about the day: “We were delighted with the Springboard Takeover Day at The Belfry. It was such a good event, extremely well run, and we were so impressed that the heads of departments took the time out to speak to the students and run the workshops. The day was a great opportunity for young people to get an insight into the hospitality industry.”
For more information, please visit www.thebelfry.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 1675 238600 | Email: enquiries@thebelfry.com
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