Shepherd Neame

 “HIT Training has been a collaborative, supportive and solution-focused partner, helping us develop our people and build clear career pathways across the business.”

A heritage business investing in its future

Shepherd Neame is Britain’s oldest brewer and a leading pub and hotel business, operating across the South East and London. With approximately 1,500 colleagues working across managed pubs, hotels, brewing, distribution and support functions, the organisation recognises that its long-term success depends on the strength of its people.

Developing internal talent is central to this approach. Apprenticeships form a core part of the organisation’s people strategy, supporting succession planning and capability building across hospitality, brewing and leadership roles.

Operating across a large and diverse estate brings both opportunity and complexity. Delivering consistent, high-quality training across multiple roles and locations, while keeping learning relevant to day-to-day operations, is a key priority. At the same time, the business continues to focus on strengthening leadership capability, addressing technical skills gaps and improving retention in a competitive labour market.

A tailored partnership with HIT Training

“We chose HIT Training for their hospitality expertise, flexible delivery model and strong learner support, along with their ability to work in partnership with us to tailor programmes to business needs.”

Working collaboratively, HIT Training has supported the delivery of apprenticeship programmes across hospitality, culinary and leadership pathways, from front-line roles through to senior leadership. Today, more than 200 colleagues are either undertaking or have completed apprenticeship programmes.

Apprenticeships are embedded within the culture of the organisation and positioned as a professional and accessible route for development at every stage of a colleague’s career.

The strength of the working relationship has been key to successful delivery.

As David explains:

“The partnership is collaborative, supportive and solution-focused, with strong tutor engagement and the flexibility to support learners during operational pressures. The pastoral care and flexibility provided by tutors has been invaluable, particularly during periods of high operational demand.”

Driving performance, progression and retention

“Apprentices show increased confidence, stronger technical skills, improved accountability and better contribution to team and service performance.”

These improvements are reflected in stronger team performance and more consistent service delivery across sites. Progression has become more structured and transparent, with employees moving into senior chef, management and leadership roles more effectively.

By creating clear development pathways – supported in part by available employer funding, Shepherd Neame has strengthened engagement and retention, enabling employees to see long-term career opportunities within the business. At the same time, targeted apprenticeship programmes continue to close skills gaps in leadership, compliance, technical kitchen skills and commercial capability.

With apprenticeships embedded at the heart of its people strategy, Shepherd Neame continues to invest in developing a skilled, engaged and future-ready workforce.

If your business is facing similar challenges, find out how HIT Training can help you recruit and develop apprentices.