Apprenticeship - Catering and Hospitality Foundation Apprenticeship

This foundation apprenticeship is designed for young people who want to start a career in catering or hospitality and would benefit from gaining experience across a range of real workplace environments. It provides a mix of employability skills, technical knowledge, practical hospitality skills, and English and maths development. Apprentices learn through hands on work in settings such as hotels, restaurants, cafés, holiday parks, schools, and hospitals — anywhere high quality food or customer service is provided.

Learners will develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed for early career roles in catering and hospitality. This includes:

• Understanding how hospitality venues operate across food preparation, service, and customer care
• Supporting high quality food and beverage service in a range of settings
• Learning safe and hygienic working practices
• Developing practical food preparation and basic cooking skills
• Providing customer service, taking orders, serving food and drinks
• Building employability skills, teamwork, communication, and professional behaviours required in hospitality workplaces
• Gaining confidence across front of house and basic kitchen tasks

Daily duties will vary depending on whether the apprentice is placed in a catering focused or food and beverage service role.

Assessment happens both in the workplace and through off the job learning.

During the apprenticeship you will complete:

• A portfolio demonstrating knowledge, skills, and behaviours described in the standard
• Practical tasks and supervised activities in your workplace
• Off the job learning totalling at least 187 hours
• English and maths development as required

The apprentice must normally be age 16 to 21 at the start of their apprenticeship. Exceptions to this are set out in the Department for Education Apprenticeship funding rules.

Foundation apprenticeships are designed for younger learners beginning their career journey.

Applicants must be employed in a suitable catering or hospitality setting (employer support required).

English and maths support is included as part of the programme

Initial skills assessments may also be required.

After completing this foundation apprenticeship, learners can progress to:

• A Level 2 or Level 3 apprenticeship in catering or hospitality (e.g., Commis Chef, Hospitality Team Member)
• Employment in entry level food preparation, kitchen assistant, or hospitality service roles
• Further training or specialist hospitality qualifications

Foundation apprenticeships provide a strong starting point and help young people understand their next career steps.