Hospitality Employers Back Shorter Apprenticeships as HIT Launches New Working Group
Jun 10 2025
From August 2025, subject to a change in legislation, the government will reduce the minimum duration of all apprenticeships from 12 months to 8 months. In addition, new 8-month apprenticeship models will be developed for specific roles in priority sectors such as health, construction, and green industries.
These reforms are designed to:
Support faster onboarding and upskilling
Respond to immediate workforce needs
Maintain the full quality and assessment requirements expected of every apprenticeship
HIT Training is taking a proactive role in preparing the hospitality sector for these changes. We’ve launched a national employer survey and are now setting up an employer working group to co-design how shorter apprenticeships could be delivered effectively in two key roles:
These roles are often high turnover and fast paced, making them well suited to a more agile training model that still delivers full competence and confidence on the job.
What Employers Told Us
In May 2025, we asked employers delivering Level 2 apprenticeships for their views on the potential move to shorter durations. The response was clear:
58.3% said they would be more likely to recruit apprentices if they could be trained in just 8 months.
70.8% said shorter apprenticeships would help them either reskill or upskill staff more efficiently, or do both.
These results confirm that there is strong appetite across the hospitality sector to explore how shorter, more focused hospitality apprenticeship programmes could better meet business needs.
What’s Happening Next?
Over the coming weeks, HIT Training will bring together the working group to explore how existing apprenticeship standards can be successfully delivered over an 8-month period. The group will work closely with our curriculum and delivery teams to consider how learning can be structured, how off-the-job training requirements can be met within the reduced timeframe, and how apprentices and their line managers can be best supported throughout the programme. Together, we’ll ensure that any new approach continues to uphold the high standards that employers and learners rightly expect.
Want to Get Involved?
If you’re a hospitality employer and want to be part of the working group – or if you’d like to be kept informed of progress – we’d love to hear from you.
Together, we’re designing apprenticeships that are faster, focused and fit for the future of hospitality. Explore our current hospitality apprenticeships near you to see how your business can benefit.
Related articles
It’s Time to Take Unnecessary Food Waste off the Menu
HIT Heroes Winners Unveiled in Celebration Event
Access Global Opportunities for Your Apprentices
HIT Training Ltd Receives Matrix Standard
Sodexo Culinary Academy focuses on inspiring and elevating chefs at every level
The Importance of a Mentor for Apprentices
Center Parcs Celebrates Apprentice Trailblazers
HIT Training Recognised at the Foodservice Cateys 2018
The Newt in Somerset Unveils ‘Elevate’ – A Bespoke Hospitality Academy in partnership with HIT Training
Alex Angelogiannis wows judges to take top spot in National Chef of the Year competition
Research Reveals a Positive Change in Perceptions of Hospitality Careers
Entries now open for the Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards 2025
Chopping Boards to Boardrooms: The Benefits of Apprenticeships at Any Career Stage
Introducing the New Normal for HIT’s Apprenticeship Delivery
HIT Training Launches Free Workshops to Help Close the Chef Skills Gap in the Capital
The Opportunity Provider (TOP) ranked 28th in The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers
Three Signs your Employees are Reaching Burnout – and How to Support Them
‘The Super Six’ Unveiled
The Opportunity Provider and Scrumptious Marketing Announce Strategic Employer Branding Partnership
Introducing the Executive Development Network (EDN)
HIT Training launches intelligent apprenticeship recruitment service for hospitality and retail, in partnership with urfuture
HIT Training Ltd Signs New Business Drive to Help The Nation Through COVID-19 Crisis
All Change – It’s Time to Reserve Your Apprenticeship Funding!
HIT Heroes Apprentice and Employer of The Year 2020 Announced
Functional Skills: The Cornerstone of Apprenticeships
The Young National Chef of the Year Finalists Have Been Revealed
HIT Celebrates Hospitality Day
HIT Training Ltd Wins Prestigious Apprenticeship Provider of the Year Award for the Second Consecutive Year
HIT Heroes Award Winners Announced for 2021
Apprentices Make History After Completing the UK’s First Ever Brewer Apprenticeship
Join us for a summer of learning at HIT Training!
HIT Training Ltd Welcomes Government Reforms to Functional Skills and Shorter Apprenticeships
Turn a first job into a future career with a foundation apprenticeship
National Inclusion Week 2024: Why Impact Matters in Apprenticeships
Jill makes Public Sector Catering’s ‘Most Influential’ list
HIT Training Elevates Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion by Becoming Patrons of the Multicultural Apprenticeship Alliance
HIT Training Launches Suite of Training Courses and Workshops to Upskill Hospitality Teams
Leading the Way: Long Awaited Production Chef Apprenticeship is Launched
Making 2022 The ‘Year of Retention’
How to Solve Your Staffing Problems with Apprenticeships
Don’t Waste: The Future of Hospitality
From First Job to Future Career
Flavour of Success at The Restaurant Show
Winners of Fired Up and Un-Tapped Apprentice Competitions 2023 announced
Protecting the Future of the Sector: Hospitality Businesses Pledge to Fund Apprenticeships Outside Their Organisation
HIT Training Ltd Earns Prestigious Gold Membership in The 5% Club
The Real Barrier to Exceptional Hospitality Isn’t What You Think
Championing Change in Functional Skills
HIT Training Apprentice Becomes First to Achieve New Hospitality Supervisor Apprenticeship
Meet our six Salon Culinaire apprentices!
Update to our company name
HIT Training Named in Times Top 100 Best Companies to Work for
Employer Newsletter – We’re here to stay
HIT Training Recognised at the TES FE Awards 2018
HIT Training Ltd moves to employee ownership
‘Forward with Marcus Wareing’ programme expands following huge success
How to Manage Stress: Stress Awareness Month 2021
Jill Whittaker Takes Top Honour at the 2024 Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards
Managing Stress Levels in the Midst of a Global Pandemic
Grow your team with retail apprenticeships
Brewer Apprenticeship Graduation Event: Celebrating Brewing Talent and Achievement
The Apprenticeship Levy One Year on
HIT Training Ltd scoops the award for Best Training Provider at the prestigious Apprenticeship Guide Awards
Integrating Plant Based Food into your Menu
HIT Training develops UK’s first Level 5 Hospitality Operations Manager Apprenticeship
Employee-owned training group signals long-term commitment to UK skills with new name
HIT Retains One Third of Staff for Over 10 Years
Brewer Apprentices Celebrate Success at 2025 Graduation and Untapped Awards
Britain’s First Job Problem: Why Career Starter Sectors Matter
The Clink Charity identifies first candidates for in-prison apprenticeships in partnership with HIT Training
Election priorities: Fixing the apprenticeship levy by Jill Whittaker OBE
The Power of Adding Plant-Based to your Menu
Untapped – HIT Training’s Brewer Apprentice Competition
Developing an Apprenticeship Strategy
HIT Heroes Award Winners 2022
What are apprenticeships? A guide for employers.
Crunch Time: Over Half of Hospitality Businesses Risk Losing their Apprenticeship Levy Fund
HIT Heroes Award Winners 2023
HIT Training Ltd Wins Excellence in English and Maths Skills Development at the Apprenticeship and Training Awards
Three Ways to Keep your Staff Motivated and Inspired During Lockdown 3.0
HIT Training launches Hospitality employer call to action as ‘First Job. Future Career.’ campaign champions better opportunities for the next generation.
HIT Training Ltd Celebrates Prestigious Gold Membership of The 5% Club for Second Year Running
Two HIT Apprentices Make MasterChef Finals
Educate Your Team on the Mental Health Benefits of Food
How the ‘Mini-Budget’ Supports Employers, Training and Skills Development
HIT produces 1500 free meals on National Hospitality Day
Vacherin’s Nick Smith Crowned Winner of the Craft Guild of Chefs’ National Chef of the Year
How to Inspire Young People to Choose a Career in Hospitality
Why we Need Apprenticeships to Build the Future
Culture of Craft – The Rise of the Craft Apprenticeship
Free online assessment to help employers shape their workforce
HIT Training Ltd Embarks on the Journey to Net Zero with Planet Mark Certification
We’re Unmasking Talent in the Hospitality Industry with the Launch of the HIT Heroes Awards
Institute of Hospitality and HIT Training Invest in the Industry’s Future
Omicron and COVID Plan B Update
Rising stars named in prestigious Young National Chef of the Year semi-final line-up
HIT Launches New Fish Friers Apprenticeship
What we Can Learn from the Industry About Infection Control
