From exclusion to inclusion: innovative pathways into the hospitality and catering industry

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From exclusion to inclusion: innovative pathways into the hospitality and catering industry

For young people facing socio-economic vulnerability, accessing sustainable employment remains a major challenge.

Addressing this challenge means providing real pathways to inclusion through comprehensive programmes combining technical training, personal support, and workplace immersion.

On the labour market, two realities stand side by side: NEETs: young people who are neither in employment, education nor training — represent nearly 20% of 15–24-year-olds; while sectors facing labour shortages, such as hospitality and catering, struggle to recruit, with workforce gaps expected to reach 18% by 2035 (WTTC, 2025).

The connection between these two realities may seem obvious, yet it remains difficult in practice. Companies struggle to recruit candidates who are both operationally skilled and comfortable with the interpersonal demands of the sector, while these young people do not always have access to the training and support needed to develop skills.

Pathways designed to address a dual challenge

It is precisely to bridge these two realities that IECD has developed training programmes in the hospitality and catering sector accessible to NEETs.

The approach is based on programmes distinguished by several key features:

vocational training aligned with employers’ needs,
enhanced support combining technical skills, soft skills, and personal development,
real-life work immersion through apprenticeship schemes or social training enterprises,
close collaboration with companies, involved throughout the process from training to recruitment (site visits, career presentations, job-search coaching, etc.).

This model helps move beyond training schemes that are often too theoretical or disconnected from labour market realities.

Tangible results on the ground

In Vietnam, the French Bakery in Ho Chi Minh City, created in 2017, provides a concrete example of this model. This training bakery offers free vocational training to vulnerable young people. Beyond technical learning, the programme includes comprehensive support aimed at developing self-confidence, autonomy, and professional soft skills. The results are significant: in 2025, 80% of trained students accessed employment or income-generating activities.

“You do not need to be perfect to start. With confidence, patience, and the solid foundations I gained, even a simple activity can grow into a real business.”, says Thi Minh Thu, former student and founder of Binh Minh Bakery.

In Madagascar, young NEETs have also become pastry chefs through apprenticeship programmes developed in partnership with renowned establishments such as Novotel and Radisson. These experiences foster rapid integration into the labour market through directly operational skills development.

Companies facing significant recruitment challenges recognise the motivation and potential of these trained young people: “We recruited Sitraka because of his commitment and progress throughout the training programme.”, tells us Tahina Ratsimbazafy, chef at Novotel.

A key sector for sustainable inclusion

These initiatives demonstrate that hospitality and catering professions can provide genuine pathways into employment for young people who are far from the labour market.

By offering a comprehensive training approach aligned with the real needs of businesses, these programmes contribute to sustainable professional integration.

Given the sector’s recruitment shortages and the challenges surrounding youth inclusion, these models are intended to be expanded and scaled up so that more young people can benefit from them.

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From exclusion to inclusion: innovative pathways into the hospitality and catering industry

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