PUPILS at Lochgelly High School were given the rare opportunity to experience, first hand, what it is like to work in the world of Sottish hospitality.

Thanks to an initiative by Springboard, the charity dedicated to helping young, unemployed and disadvantaged people improve their prospects in life through a career in hospitality, leisure and tourism, 135 Lochgelly High School pupils got a glimpse of this exciting industry and be encouraged to think about Hospitality as a career of choice.

Supported by an exciting line-up of organisations, each committed to providing interactive workshops and support on the day, these included, Compass, Host Management, Fairmont Hotels, Fife College, Quality Meat Scotland and Fife Council.

Over the course of the day pupils were able to experience how it feels to be both a guest and hospitality professional. Commenting on the event, Vicki Sutherland, Operations Manager at Springboard, said, “Pupils were very hands-on during the event taking part in a series of skills challenges including: practical cookery; leisure services, customer service, ‘mocktail’ making and nutrition to name but a few.” She added, “The event not only showcased the industry at its very best but also links directly to the Curriculum for Excellence and in particular, Skills for Learning, Life and Work. It was a fantastic chance for us to demonstrate the breadth of opportunities the hospitality industry has to offer in Scotland.” Stephanie Wade, Scotland Director at Springboard went on to add, “Events like this are a great way to raise the profile of the industry as a whole bringing together future potential recruits with industry players.”