Northern Ireland Hospitality School appoints new director of operations
Ashley Douglas, director of operations and chairman, Eddie McKeever, Northern Ireland Hospitality School
The Northern Ireland Hospitality School has announced the appointment of Ashley Douglas as director of operations as the trailblazing initiative moves into an exciting period of growth and development to tackle the industry wide challenges of staff recruitment.
Established in 2021 following collaboration between the Galgorm Resort, the Tullyglass House Hotel and the Adair Arms Hotel, the School, which was initially funded by independent charity, The Gallaher Trust, has now successfully attracted significant support from a number of prestigious private sector businesses including Britvic Ireland, Henderson Foodservice and Bushmills Distillery.
Ashley Douglas, director of operations, Northern Ireland Hospitality School, said: “I have been a part of the NI Hospitality School family since its inception and been inspired by both the participants and delivery partners who have already achieved so much.
“Securing this role is an absolute honour and I look forward to delivering training and employment programmes that will provide a gold standard of candidates for jobs in many local establishments.”
With immense passion for the industry coupled with more than 20 years’ experience in the sector, Douglas has managed his own Tiki Bar in Portrush while providing a number of comprehensive bartender training programmes across Ireland on behalf of Diageo, Belfast Met and the Northern Regional College.
“As director of operations at the NI Hospitality School, I will be capitalising on the existing innovative approaches to addressing the recruitment and skills challenges with which our sector is currently grappling,” said Douglas.
Douglas’ aim will be to maintain the relationships and high standards that have been built within the past three years, equipping individuals with the tools and expertise they need to thrive in hospitality.
“However, we’re not just filling vacancies, we’re fostering careers, developing talent and ensuring the long-term success of an industry that’s a vital part of our local economy. That will require me to also focus on a consistent drive to increase funding support from private sector businesses and foster more partnerships with our hospitality colleagues in providing training opportunities,” he noted.
The Northern Ireland Hospitality School encompasses a number of academies including a bar academy, a chef academy and a food service academy, where participants gain a mixture of theory, practical skills and hands-on experience in order to gain a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification.
The School has already proven to be an effective solution, helping to bridge the gap and provide real opportunities for individuals seeking fulfilling and rewarding careers in hospitality.
To date, a total of 143 individuals have completed training with the NI Hospitality School, including 13 from the Chef Academy, 21 from the Food Service Academy and 109 from the Bar Academy.
This year, four more cohorts of the Bar Academy are planned as well as five cohorts for the Food Service Academy.
Eddie McKeever, chairman, NI Hospitality School, said: “The vision for the future is to see the Northern Ireland Hospitality School continue to grow as a hub of innovation, collaboration and opportunity and to set an example of how industry challenges should be tackled, regardless of sector.
“I have no doubt that with Ashley now on board, the Northern Ireland Hospitality School will continue to expand and deepen its impact, fostering excellence and ensuring a bright future for our sector and the individuals who complete our courses. I’m looking forward to seeing it go from strength to strength.”
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