Compass Cymru and The Springboard Charity partner for Principality Stadium student takeover

Compass Cymru and The Springboard Charity hosted a hospitality takeover day at Principality Stadium with 153 local school students to demonstrate career opportunities available in the industry.

The students, from eight schools in the Cardiff area, took a behind the scenes tour of the Stadium and participated in workshops including hospitality box setup; cupcake decorating; mocktail creation; retail role play; and marketing activity.

They also got the chance to hear directly from people in the industry, including Mark Phillips, Head of Operations at Principality Stadium, and Barry Rotherham, Apprenticeships & Early Careers Quality and Compliance Manager at Compass, followed by a Q&A with Jason Fox and Kelly Stapleton, current apprentices with Compass Cymru.

At the end of the event, 121 students completed a survey, which found that prior to the takeover day, only 11% said they had considered a career in hospitality and tourism, and this rose to 49% saying they would now be more interested in considering a career in the industry after the event.

The survey also found that for 53% of students, the event had altered their thoughts on the hospitality and tourism industry, and 84% said that as a result of the event they now had a better understanding of the wide range of worthwhile career opportunities in the sector.

Jane Byrd, Managing Director of Compass Cymru, said: “One of our central aims at Compass Cymru is our commitment to people, and supporting development and the creation of jobs for Wales with a genuine focus on wellbeing and skills development. In particular, creating opportunities for the next generation of talent within the Welsh hospitality industry – so events like this, which open the doors to the possibilities for young people, is something we’re really proud to support.”

Gemma Edmonds, Head of South England and Wales at The Springboard Charity, said: “We’ve received lots of positive feedback from the students and were very pleased with the event. Going forward, we aim to continue the relationship with these schools and engage them with our other educational programmes, such as Future Chef and Summer School, to ensure that their students continue to have access to a range of career and learning opportunities.”

Mark Phillips, Head of Operations at Principality Stadium, said: “We had a great day hosting the takeover event and were really pleased that the planning paid off and the students enjoyed the day. It’s especially encouraging to see the feedback showing that so many of the students would now consider roles in hospitality, and supports our aim to make the industry more accessible to the next generation.”

The schools that attended were Porthcawl Comprehensive School, Stanwell, Llangatwy Community School, Pontarddulais Comprehensive School, Cathays High School, Cardiff Community West, Fitzalan High School, and The Willows.

Compass Cymru is part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, the UK’s largest food and support services firm. It launched as a distinct business within the Group in 2021 with the aim of supporting the Welsh hospitality industry, championing local suppliers, and fostering the next generation of talent.