Galway hospitality sector in staffing crisis

Employers in the city’s hospitality sector are finding it harder than ever to source experienced staff.

Despite the rising level of unemployment, it is apparently very difficult for those in the trade to find good Irish staff for any positions.

One publican, who didn’t want to be named, said the problem had gotten worse in the past few years but blamed the influx of Eastern Europeans into the workforce for having changed the trade.

“Since Poland especially joined the EU, and they started coming over here to work, it seems that the Irish no longer want to wait tables or work as kitchen porters.

“And chefs with good experience who are Irish can’t be got and it’s hard enough to get good wait and bar staff,” he added.

Cait Noone, Head of College for Tourism and Arts in the GMIT, agreed that the industry had changed fairly significantly in the past 20 years.

She said that the number of hotels and restaurants, as well as the emergence of the ‘gastropub’ had increased dramatically in Galway and so had the demand on qualified staff.

With 1,200 culinary and hospitality students, GMIT has the largest number of graduates entering the trade annually.

“Traditionally, 40% of them went straight into jobs, 50% went into further education and the last 10% went abroad to gain more experience.

“But in recent years, more of them are heading straight into the workplace because they never had as many opportunities. They have choices now and employers in Ireland have really improved wages as the industry has become very competitive.

“And despite the high number of students in our college, I know that there is still a shortage of qualified staff in the hospitality sector. What I suggest to employers is that they register with us through our Links office as a placement provider which might make it easier to secure permanent staff.

“But, basically, the tourism education needs to be funded more and despite promises it hasn’t been done. We are working closely with many organisations and Fáilte Ireland but we need more resources so that the hospitality/tourism industry is supported through more training.

“With more and more people dining out from casual to fine dining, of course we need more chefs, more bar and wait staff but to get that, more money needs to be put into education,” she said.