Fears for hospitality jobs shortage during Games

BIRMINGHAM’S hotels and restaurants suffering staff shortages may not cope with an influx of visitors coming to the city for next year’s Commonwealth Games.

The Games are set to create thousands of jobs in the West Midlands and the UK ahead of the 11-day sporting jamboree.

But with industries across the region, including hospitality, struggling to fill vacant job roles, one Birmingham temp agency has questioned whether businesses will be able to recruit enough staff to cope with the number of visitors flocking to the city from across the world.

Jackie Bullock, Pertemps’ divisional manager for Birmingham commercial, described the ongoing staff shortages in the hospitality sector as “quite scary”. She said: “During the lockdowns, people who worked in the leisure and hospitality industry – a lot of them jumped ship and got other jobs.

“There is now a massive shortage there, which is quite scary with the Commonwealth Games project coming up in July.

“People are applying for hospitality jobs, but to work in a lot of these places you have to have the necessary qualifications for hospitality or food and hygiene.

“Unfortunately, some people haven’t got the qualifications employers are looking for.”

Two tenders already accepted by Pertemps will aim to recruit 800 workers at the peak of the Games.

Tim Hibbert, Pertemps’ manager for the industrial division, hopes the Games will help to attract more workers back to industries currently facing staff shortages.

“I’m a proud Brummie so I loved it when Birmingham got the Commonwealth Games,” said Mr Hibbert.

“I really do hope it brings about the return of more workers to the city.

“A lot of people are interested in sport so, whereas at the minute people might only travel a certain distance for work, if you’re interested in the Games, you might be more flexible to travel into Birmingham to be part of such a prestigious event.

“We’re already talking to businesses now that are trying to get ahead of the game because they know it will have a big knock-on effect, from distribution to litter pickers to local PPE companies.

“Hauliers will be chock-a-block too, and with athletes and delegates coming in from all over – people need somewhere to eat, so restaurants will be really busy too.

“I’m confident it will be a really good thing for Birmingham.”

A Commonwealth Games spokesman said its own recruitment programme was so far going well – with roughly 600 new members of staff taken on in the last 18 months, plus 28 apprentices.

By the time the main event is under way, there will be 1,200 people working directly for Birmingham 2022 plus thousands more in Games-related roles.

There is now a massive shortage there, which is quite scary with the Games coming up Jackie Bullock, Pertemps