Spirit Academy trains pub managers of tomorrow

The Spirit Group has launched a learning and development center, designed to be a hub for all its managerial training. The facility, in Northampton, UK,forms part of the Spirit Academy, an umbrella name for the pub company’s employee training.

The £60,000 center will welcome up to 180 “student” pub managers this year, helping them on their way to “graduation” with a series of residential courses.

Spirit’s head of learning and development, Andrew George, said: “We have refreshed our whole approach to manager training, developing completely new courses that can be delivered at the refurbished training center. It means our training is more structured, with candidates progressing from stage to stage in groups at the same time. After around six months, they should have all the skills and experience they need to graduate and take the reins at their own pub.”

Managers undergo four levels of training in the academy. Between courses,they spend time gaining practical management experience in the Spirit estate. They must prepare and implement a practical action plan after each level, which is assessed by their business-development manager.

The center has teaching rooms with electronic whiteboards, a working cellar,drink dispensers, an information-technology suite and training kitchen. There is even a Spirit pub, with accommodation next door, for those attending residential courses.

Spirit’s HR director, Jane Davies, said: “The purpose of the academy is to ensure that our retail managers have the skills and knowledge they need effectively to deliver their job role and develop to their full potential. For Spirit as a whole, getting our recruitment, induction and training right leads to us having great people consistently delivering great results.”

The Spirit Group is the managed division of Punch Taverns, which owns more than 9,300 public houses across the UK.