Initiative aims to encourage talent to stay in the foodservice equipment industry
Some of the foodservice equipment industry’s brightest rising young stars are being sponsored to attend this year’s Host Milan, courtesy of Williams and Falcon.
The two sister Ali Group companies have been working with the CEDA Academy and leading distributors and consultants to select eight lucky young professionals to visit Host 2019. These rising stars represent a cross section of the supply industry, including designers, junior consultants, project executives and sales people.
“We all know how vital it is to attract good young people into our industry,” says Malcolm Harling, sales and marketing director at Williams. “Developing young talent has been a driver for CESA, CEDA and the FCSI for a number of years, an objective that Williams and Falcon fully support.”
He adds, “Williams sponsored three foodservice professionals to visit Host in 2017, and we saw that it was such a worthwhile experience. So we talked to Falcon and agreed to expand the idea for 2019. Both companies are hoping to carry on with the initiative at future Host shows. This sponsorship is designed to encourage the very best of our young talent to stay in the industry – to choose it as a career rather than a stopping-off point.”
The eight ‘stars’ can look forward to a three-day, all expenses paid visit to Host Milan, so they can explore the exciting and vast range of products, innovation and expertise on display. “It’s the opportunity to experience one of the biggest and most important international foodservice equipment shows in the world,” says Harling.
During the visit the eight will take part in training sessions with Falcon Foodservice and Williams Refrigeration, together with several of the Ali Group companies exhibiting at Host. “The trip’s purpose is education – they will come back with knowledge that will help them develop their careers,” says Lawrence Hughes, sales and marketing director for Falcon. “Having said that, it won’t all be work: they’ll also have the chance to visit some great restaurants and enjoy some of Milan’s superb cuisine.”
With the selection process now complete, Hughes says that, while the sponsorship is a significant investment for both Williams and Falcon, the businesses the young people work for have also had to make a sacrifice, as they’ll be away for three days. “All the employing companies have been very supportive – they recognise how important it is to educate, develop and keep young talent within our industry.”