The Northern Ireland Hospitality School has announced the appointment of Ashley Douglas as director of operations.
The school was established in 2021, following a collaboration between the Galgorm Resort, the Tullyglass House Hotel and the Adair Arms Hotel.
It was initially funded by independent charity the Gallaher Trust and has attracted support from a number of private-sector businesses, including Britvic Ireland, Henderson Foodservice and Bushmills Distillery.
“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,” said Eddie McKeever, chairman of the school.
“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.”
The Northern Ireland Hospitality School encompasses a number of academies, including a bar academy, a chef academy, and a foodservice academy. This allows participants to gain a mixture of theory, practical skills and hands-on experience, in order to gain a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification.
To date, a total of 143 individuals have completed training with the school, including 13 from the chef academy, 21 from the foodservice 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 foodservice academy.
“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.
“My aim will be to maintain the relationships and high standards that have been built over the past three years, equipping individuals with the tools and expertise they need to thrive in hospitality.”
