Business Networks Programme

The Business Networks Programme is the main Skillnet Ireland programme which supports training across a wide range of industry sectors and geographical regions. The aim of BNP is to promote and support the development of training networks as a strategic response to existing and emerging competitive challenges facing the enterprise sector. Skillnet Ireland, the agency managing the BNP, receives funding from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Skillnet Ireland, through the development of training networks, aims to increase participation in enterprise training by firms to improve competitiveness and provide improved access for workers to skills development. Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet is one of the networks which are part of the Braining Networks Programme.

BNP courses are partially funded by the network – please see details of courses available below:

Professional Kitchen Management Workshop

To contend with the recent rise in both VAT and minimum wage, Irish managers need to ensure that their kitchens are performing to optimum capacity and driving business efficiencies.  Menu management issues and product utilisation remain the most efficient ways to control costs and improve margins.

Content Covered:

• Kitchen Management and Food Costing Fundamentals
• Purchasing Guidelines for Profit
• Allergen Awareness
• Menu Design Fundamentals
• Green Energy and Waste Management
• Labour Cost Controls

Marketing your Restaurant

Our one day marketing course is designed to help you increase sales through more effective marketing.

Content covered:

• Marketplace Analysis – use P.E.S.T.L.E. and S.W.O.T
• Set marketing objectives and goals – Action Plan
• How to carry out market research to understand customers’ needs
• Use of brand on menus, price lists, printed material
• Identify your USP and communicate it to customers
• Websites and digital marketing
• Set a marketing budget
• Upselling tactics for staff
• Delivering a unique and effective selling message for the firm

Restaurant & Hospitality Management Development Programme (MDP)

This eight-day programme offers current restaurant supervisors an opportunity to hone their skills and assist in progressing to a managerial position within a restaurant/gastro pub. It is aimed at complementing the practical experience gained by individuals working in the industry. Each participant must complete a business action plan. On completion of the course, each participant will receive a Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet certificate.

Content Covered:

• Business Planning and Marketing
• Planning and Role of the Manager
• Financial Management
• Kitchen & Waste Management
• Beverage Management
• Human Resources
• Communication
• Customer Service and Selling

Executive Management

Are you a Senior Manager looking to develop personally and grow the business?

Learn to build a growth development plan and optimise the business performance. This course is run over five months which includes six full day Management Skills Development Workshops and five mentoring workshops. Theses mentoring workshops are one-to-one, audio visual, or face-to-face.

On completion of the course, each participant will receive an ‘Advanced Certificate in Management Practice’ – awarded by the Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet, the European Training Fund (ETF) and Human Resource Excellence.

Part 1: Each participant is required to complete a brief personal profile form and a substantial self-assessment business performance and management skills audit.

Part 2: Six, full day skills development workshops.

Workshops:

1. 1. Business Vision/ Strategy
   2. Managing Self
   3. Managing and Developing People
   4. Business Finance
   5. A) Customers, Communication & Relationship. B) e-Commerce/ e-Marketing/ Social Media Marketing
   6. A) Efficiency of Operations and Systems, Innovation & Creativity. B) Creating Competitive Advantage through Innovation and Creativity

Part 3: Submission and evaluation of ‘Growth Development Plans’

Executive Leadership Programme

Since the reopening of our industry, it has been evident that leaders need skills to enable them to adapt to change, carry out new job roles and manage teams more effectively due to reduced staff numbers. This five-week programme will teach leaders the skills to run and operate business activities more effectively. This course will cover coaching as an executive leadership tool, its importance for executive leaders, implementing leadership techniques, managing techniques and teams.

Content Covered:

• Module 1 – Leadership with Professor Jeff Cunningham (ASU) – Q&A -Self analysis of delegates on their own leadership style; identification of opportunities for growth and future successes
• Module 2 – Coaching – The impact of Coaching as a style of Leadership and its successful implementation throughout all strands of the organisation
• Module 3 – Adapting and creating effective Change – Detailed analysis of leader and team reactions to change, how to get everyone working together in times of great uncertainty
• Module 4 – Time Management – This module allows delegates to really hold a mirror to themselves and how they use their own time both inside and outside of work
• Module 5 – Communication with wrap up from Jeff – What works, the challenges within hospitality and how to overcome and get creative with practical tips

Certified Hospitality Skills – Online Training

A complete online training programme for restaurants with over 10 courses for both front of house staff and back of house staff. A package of online courses for employees which gives management a business dashboard with evidence staff members are trained. This online programme significantly reduces training costs.

Course packages available

Level 1

• Fire Safety Awareness
• Food Hygiene L1
• Health & Safety – Slips, trips & falls
• Manual Handling
• Allergen Awareness
• Responsible Sale of Alcohol
• Theft Prevention
• GDPR Overview for Employees
• Customer Experiences
• Intro to Wine, Beer & Spirits
• Covid 19 Return to Work Safely

Level 2

• Food Hygiene L2
• Emergency First Aid
• Intro to KPIs
• Increase ATV
• First Steps into Leadership
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Problem Solving Skills
• Organisational Skills
• Effective Communication Skills
• Emotional Intelligence
• Teamworking Skills
• Presentation Skills

Level 3

• Marketing Your Restaurant
• Operating Your Restaurant
• Restaurant Business Planning
• Managing Restaurant Finances
• Managing Kitchen KPIs
• Stock Control
• Budgets and Financial Reports
• Business Acumen
• Negotiation Skills
• Coaching and Mentoring
• Employee Recruitment
• Employee Onboarding
• Conflict Resolution
• Media and Public Relations
• Consumer Law
• Dignity at Work

Supervisory Skills Programme

This programme provides impart skills that you are expected to know but have never had the opportunity to learn. The programme consists of a 3 hour zoom session, once a week over 5 weeks with 2 projects as part of the programme. This is an ideal opportunity to network with others in the industry.

Content Covered:

• Leadership Module – identify leadership traits and self analysis of delegates on their own leadership style; strengths/ weaknesses/ opportunities and threats
• Communication – what works, the challenges within hospitality and how to overcome and get creative with practical tips
• Time Management – this module allows delegates to really hold a mirror to themselves and how they use their own time both inside and outside of work
• Managing Change – detailed analysis of leader and team reactions to change, how to get everyone working together in times of great uncertainty
• Train the Trainer – the delegate will learn the basics of team training and how to maintain training at the core of what they do as leaders
• Coaching – as a method of management this is the most effective and often not used as it has never been highlighted

Supervising First Aid for Mental Health (Level 3)

Mental health issues in the workplace exist and effect all individuals. Businesses are now, more than ever, encouraged to take ownership of employee wellbeing and we can help you achieve this.

This course encompasses the content of the Level 1 and Level 2 First Aid for Mental Health Awards courses and incorporates the first aid action plan for mental health and how to implement a positive mental health culture in the workplace. Gain the confidence to be able to know what mental health is and how to recognise, start a conversation on and support various conditions. Learners will gain the knowledge to identify when a person may have a mental health condition and know where they can go to get help. This course looks at harmful coping mechanisms and how to recognise when there may be a problem, as well as identifying ways in which individuals can look after their own mental health.

Learning Outcomes

• What is Mental Health?176
• How to recognise and manage stress
• Identifying common mental health conditions
• Harmful Coping Strategies
• Signposting individuals/ Support in a Mental Health Crisis
• Providing advice and starting a conversation
• Improving Mental Wellbeing
• Be aware of common mental health disorders
• Know how to recognise and support individuals with a personality disorder
• Know how to recognise and support individuals with Psychosis
• Know how to recognise and support an individual in suicidal crisis
• Be able to support an individual with a mental health issue
• Know the legal requirements for managing mental health in a workplace

In – Company Training

The Restaurant and Hospitality Skillnet also offer in-company training to members. Please see below a list of in-company courses we offer.

If you have a training course you would like delivered in-house please contact niamh.omalley@rai.ie and we will assist you as best we can.

*The Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet members can avail of a 15% discount on the below training*

Customer Care – Delight and Up Sell

Challenges of Customer Care:

1. Dealing with complaints so the customer returns
2. Making a difference so the customers notice it and like it
3. Motivating staff to engage with customers

What this course addresses:

1. Setting standards for staff in terms of appearance, friendliness and professionalism
2. Complaints strategy and empowerment of staff
3. Delighting customers and ways to increase tips and positive feedback

Content Covered:

• The value of lifetime customers
• Increasing sales with existing customers
• Why customers leave and the corresponding effects
• Preventing customer loss
• Turn dissatisfied customers into lifetime customers (+ 1 books unique DTA system)
• Complaints handling
• How to meet customer satisfaction
• How to motivate customers to promote your business

Food & Beverage Skills Training

Are you looking to upskill your current staff or new food and beverage staff on the basics of serving food and drink?

Challenges of food & beverage operations:  

1. Lack of skilled staff
2. Different levels of service between team members
3. High staff turnover

What this course addresses:

1. The standard of service within the industry
2. Understanding basic knowledge and upselling
3. Serving food and drink correctly

Content Covered:

• Meet, greet and seat a guest
• Taking a food and drink order
• Anticipating the customer’s needs
• Carry and clear plates
• Carry a tray
• Basic terminology
• Upselling
• Serving drinks
• Pulling the perfect pint
• Changing a keg
• Serving wine and champagne

Skills coaching   

A 2- day course in a mock restaurant for restaurant supervisors, managers and food and beverage managers.

What this course addresses:

1. Skills coaching for different learning styles
2. Coaching a team to serve food and drink correctly
3. Standards of service and customer care

Day 1 

• Different learning style
• On the job training
• Communication
• The customer journey
• Standards of service
• Upselling

Day 2

• Meet, greet and seat a guest
• Taking a food and drink order
• Anticipating the customer’s needs
• Carry and clear plates
• Carry a tray
• Basic terminology
• Upselling
• Serving drinks
• Pulling the perfect pint
• Changing a keg
• Serving wine and champagne

Supervisor Skills Course

A 10- day course (1 day a week over 10 weeks) for supervisors to learn the necessary skills to supervise a business and manage staff.

Content Covered:

• Skills coaching
• Cashier skills
• Sales & marketing
• Basics skills
• Team leadership
• Cost management

Accommodation Techniques

1- day basic skills course for accommodation assistants. This training is delivered in a hotel where a bedroom is available.

Content Covered:

• Summarise the structure, profile and role of the Irish Tourism and Hospitality Industry including grading systems and related customer expectations.
• Describe the role, structure and organisation of the accommodation department, demonstrating an understanding of the accommodation service terminology.
• Identify the full range of accommodation services, including the accommodation assistants’ role, responsibilities and key tasks
• Security role
• How to use chemicals
• How to clean a room
• How to set up the trolley
• How to clean a bathroom
• What to look out for

Reception Skills

1- day basic skills course for reception staff.

Content covered:

• Body language
• Eye contact
• Knowledge of the local area
• Do’s & don’ts on the phone
• Upselling
• Checking in / checking out
• Understanding hotel reception
• Internal & external customer

Bar Training

The Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet also provide partial funding for the following training:

• WSET Level 1 in Spirits
• WSET Level 2 in Spirits
• WSET Level 1 in Wine
• WSET Level 2 in Wine
• Bartender Upskill Mixology Course
• Professional Bartending Course

Barista Training

The Restaurant & Hospitality Skillnet also partially fund Barista Training courses. Please contact the network for further details on on-site training by Irish Barista School.

Other Training Courses Available:

Management of Food & Safety

This course covers all the requirements of the FSAI level 3 Management Skills and the legal training requirements of those responsible for the development and maintenance of HACCP and the application of the HACCP principles.

2-day Management Skills Course

Learn how to overcome the problems that managers encounter in their management role and build your confidence and manage effectively.

Finance Unplugged

A one day course on the finance function focusing on what ‘good’ looks like.

Positive Wellbeing

This training is designed to help employees respond positively to challenges and bounce back quickly from setbacks. It provides staff with the tools and strategies to build personal resilience, boost wellbeing and positive mental health.

Manage Staff Performance

This workshop is designed to assist managers with performance conversations (appraisals) and in boosting the performance and wellbeing of their team.

Social Media

Customers are increasingly turning to the internet to find the best restaurants and bars near them. Our one-day course will cover the techniques and skills that will allow you to attract, engage and convert new consumers to your business.

Contact

For all queries relating to the courses above, including course dates, pricing and trainer information, please do not hesitate to contact the Network Manager.

Niamh O’Malley

Email: niamh.omalley@rai.ie

Phone:  01 677 9901