With more than 110 hotels under development in the region, the global hospitality company will recruit for positions across Europe focusing on strategic growth markets including the UK, Russia, Turkey, Germany and Poland. With continued focus on new development opportunities, the company expects to generate an additional 1,500 new jobs in the coming months with the goal of creating 10,000 new hospitality careers within Hilton Worldwide-branded properties.
More than 30,000 people are currently employed at Hilton Worldwide properties and corporate offices across more than 215 hotels in Europe. The company also boasts the strongest European pipeline in the industry**, with more than 110 hotels signed, all of which are expected to open between now and the end of 2014, providing thousands of career opportunities.
Simon Vincent, area president, Europe, said, "While unemployment figures in Europe continue to rise, Hilton Worldwide is experiencing an exciting period of growth which will see us continue to offer a wealth of rewarding career options. As owners and developers continue to affiliate with our world-class brands, attracting, retaining and developing the best people is paramount. We strive to be industry-leaders in this regard and we are working hard to make sure this excellence continues as we grow."
Key growth markets such as the UK, Russia, Turkey, Germany and Poland will experience the biggest surge in career opportunities. With more than 25 hotels due to open in Russia in the next three years, up to 3,000 new roles are expected to be available in the country. Approximately 1,500 people will embark on new careers with Hilton Worldwide hotels in the UK with more than 20 new properties expected to open and more than 1,900 careers will be safeguarded through 10 confirmed hotel conversions to the Hilton Worldwide portfolio. Around 800 jobs are expected to be created in Turkey with a development pipeline of more than 14 hotels due to open by 2014. More than 400 new positions are due to be filled in Germany with three new hotels due to open and approximately 750 positions will be created in Poland across 11 new hotels***.
Ben Bengougam, vice president HR, Europe said, "With continued growth across our European estate, driving the talent agenda is paramount to our recruitment strategy. We are seeking passionate people interested in hospitality careers with a range of experiences as well as transferable skills from backgrounds outside the hospitality industry. Many of our team members have experience in a broad range of sectors and we always welcome this diversity."
As a leading global hospitality company, Hilton Worldwide offers a wealth of career options with opportunities currently available at entry-level through to senior management. A plethora of different industries help make up the team at Hilton Worldwide including sales & marketing, legal, engineering and construction, feasibility and development, procurement, finance, human resources and management. Hospitality is at the core of Hilton Worldwide's business with many career opportunities available in food and beverage, front-of-house, fitness and wellness and event management - all of which can help bridge the youth unemployment gap.
Key hotels due to open within the next 12 months include: Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Frankfurt, Germany (Q4 2011); Waldorf Astoria Berlin, Germany (Q2 2012); Hilton Garden Inn Krasnodar, Russia (Q2 2012); Doubletree by Hilton Lodz, Poland (Q4 2012); Hilton Bursa and Hampton by Hilton Bursa, Turkey (Q1 2012); DoubleTree by Hilton Lincoln, UK (Q4 2011); and Hilton St George's Park, Burton on Trent and Hampton by Hilton St George's Park, Burton on Trent, UK (Q3 2012).
Hilton Worldwide supports the Government's Get Britain Working campaign, committing 100 placements at hotels around the country this year - more than one for every hotel it operates. The initiative is designed to help unemployed young people to develop the skills needed to secure a sustainable job and has resulted in 15 young people taking on full time, paid employment with Hilton Worldwide.
A range of award-winning training and development initiatives are also available at Hilton Worldwide such as the fast-track graduate programme, Elevator, which identifies and nurtures talented graduates and high potential candidates from within Hilton Worldwide. These rising stars go through a thorough 18 month training programme before assuming their first management position, and then are usually fast tracked to senior leadership positions, with the aim of developing into successful hotel general managers.
Apprenticeships are also a key focus at Hilton Worldwide, with its Chef Apprenticeship Academy helping 60 aspiring, young chefs into a 12-month apprenticeship. The programme combines college-based courses with on-the-job training from some of the company's most talented chefs. Highlights of the programme include executive head chef master classes, an insight into the workings of Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows, personal mentoring and the chance to compete for the "Chef Apprentice of the Year" award.
Award-winning e-learning facility, Hilton Worldwide University, is also available to all team members across the world providing access to on-line learning and development. With more than 2,000 courses available in 18 languages, it offers five different 'colleges' titled Owners, Leaders, General Studies, Commercial and Hotel - each with its own Dean.
Hilton Worldwide has featured highly in workplace and graduate job surveys across Europe including the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For 2011; winner of the most popular graduate recruiter for hospitality, leisure and tourism at the 2011 Target Jobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards; and is the highest ranking hospitality employer in Germany's Survey Schülerbarometer 2011 as voted by school leavers. Just this month, at the MKG Group's 12th Annual Worldwide Hospitality awards in Paris, Hilton Worldwide was recognised with the Grand Prix award. A judging panel and members of the awards ceremony audience voted in favour of Hilton Worldwide based on successful global development, innovation, human resources and commercial performances.
For more information on the career options available at Hilton Worldwide go to www.hiltonworldwide.com/careers or www.facebook.com/hiltoncareers.
*Team member pipeline estimate includes franchised and managed hotels based on brand and region-specific 'team member per available room' ratios for Hilton Worldwide's owned and managed properties currently in operation. New build hotels and conversion properties have been separated to demonstrate new job creation and safeguarding of existing jobs through conversion to Hilton Worldwide brands
**Sourced from STR Global - Comprehensive Pipeline Outlook (Europe) - November 11, 2011
*** Hotels in strategic development markets due to open in next three years. Please note: Only details of hotels previously announced within our development pipeline can be disclosed.
About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global
hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious
full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced
hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has been offering business and
leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and
value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of
providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its
brands are comprised of more than 3,750 hotels and timeshare
properties, with 615,000 rooms in 85 countries and include Waldorf
Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton
Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels,
Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2
Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages
the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. For more
information about the company, visit www.hiltonworldwide.com
or connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.hiltonworldwide.com/media.