NSH gives you access to a pipeline of motivated, well-rounded apprentices — pre-screened, enriched, and genuinely ready to build careers with you. All with the admin, coordination, and quality assurance handled centrally.
In 2022/23, 87% of hospitality and catering apprentices left before completing 9 months on programme. Recruitment costs mount. Standards slip. Teams never fully gel. And conventional training providers keep delivering the same results.
NSH was designed specifically to address this — not with more of the same, but with a fundamentally different model that gives apprentices the diversity of experience, mentorship, and professional identity that makes them want to stay.
A hub-and-spoke approach that keeps apprentices employed, progressing, and engaged across multiple partner venues throughout their programme.
Partner venues provide real working placements. Apprentices rotate through consortium members to build breadth of experience.
We handle all administration, scheduling, tracking, quality assurance, and coordination between venues and the flexi agency.
Our partner Inspire/ATA acts as formal employer, drawing down levy funding and managing all employment contracts.
Apprentices gain diverse experience and genuine development. You gain loyal, well-rounded professionals who know your operation.
NSH membership gives you full access to the consortium infrastructure, talent pipeline, and enrichment programme. No hidden extras, no per-apprentice coordination costs on top.
Pre-screened, motivated apprentices recruited specifically for the consortium. No advertising costs, no agency fees.
NSH manages rotation scheduling, off-job training tracking, progress monitoring, and liaison with the training provider.
Consistent standards across all placements, with regular review, employer feedback loops, and early intervention support.
Full members shape the curriculum, standards, and strategic direction of the consortium through board representation.
Existing team members can join as mentors and participate in enrichment activities, supporting their own CPD progression.
Apprenticeship funding is there to be used. NSH helps you access it efficiently — whether you're a levy payer, a smaller business, or both.
If you're paying the apprenticeship levy, NSH gives you a high-quality, managed route to use those funds — without the overhead of running your own standalone programme.
NSH specifically opens apprenticeship access to smaller hospitality businesses who couldn't previously sustain apprenticeships alone.
Training funding per apprentice, drawn down through the flexi agency model over the programme duration.
Based on an initial consortium of 3–5 employer partners, Phase 1 represents significant shared value.
Our survey of 802 hospitality professionals shaped every aspect of the NSH model. This is what they said.
"When we ask what qualities they most value in new hospitality staff, employers consistently rank honesty, integrity, and trust above technical competence. Character first — skills we can teach."
"The overwhelming preference among senior managers is for professional recognition over academic qualifications. Industry accreditation, practical awards, and demonstrable standards carry more weight than certificates."
"Multi-employer experience is seen as a genuine differentiator. Employers said apprentices who have worked across multiple quality operations arrive with broader perspective, adaptability, and confidence than those from single-site programmes."
From first conversation to welcoming your first NSH apprentice — the process is designed to be straightforward.