Making Us Tick: Jack Marsters, Conference, Banqueting and Bar Manager at Inchyra
Our hotel nestled in serene estate grounds and located near Stirling in Central Scotland is a great location for couples and families alike looking for relaxation and activity in equal measure.
The team behind this food, spa and leisure haven within easy reach of Glasgow and Edinburgh also places the training and development of young people seeking their crucial first start in the hospitality industry at front of mind.
We caught up with Jack Marsters, 23, who has been with the hotel since the age of 18 when starting out on the hotel's own Hospitality Academy initiative - a successful programme that was created by the hotel in partnership with local training provider Positive Qualities, as he described his early career experience to date at Inchyra.
Positive Qualities Hospitality Opportunity
Brett, General Manager at Inchyra Hotel & Spa, offered what was to be Jack's first official full-time job via a Hospitality Training Course in association with local training provider, Positive Qualities. Initially expressing an interest in working on the bar, Jack described how he got started at the hotel and how his confidence grew us a result:
"For various reasons, I really struggled to get a job after school and didn't have any relevant experience, so to be given the chance by Brett was something I have always been incredible grateful for - especially as other employers hadn't wanted to take the risk".
"The Positive Qualities Hospitality course was around 12 weeks long, and included a mixture of classroom and working on the job. One of the best things about working at the hotel involves the people that you meet and the support they give you, which was incredible important to me at the time".
"I had always struggled meeting and speaking to new people (let alone serving guests!), but my fellow colleagues really gave me the belief to start doing this".
Developing Skills and Internal Promotions
On discovering a real passion for hospitality, Jack was keen to continue learning and training on the job, with Brett encouraging him to attend available courses including the Hotelier Development Programme, which helped Jack add reception and housekeeping experience to a growing list of skills.
"I soon discovered more about the business as a whole, and carry with me skills that I still use everyday. After completing the programme, I was soon promoted to Bar Supervisor, which gave me the additional responsibility I was looking for after getting the hospitality bug".
"After lockdown, I was promoted to Team Supervisor, which mean that, when on shift, I was responsible for reception as well as the restaurant and bar".
Taking The Next Step
Jack's rise through the ranks at the hotel didn't stop there, however, with a recent promotion to Conference, Banqueting & Bar Manager seeing him take on the biggest step in his career to date.
"While I hadn't had a lot of experience in events at this stage, this is another instance where Brett has taken a leap of faith in me, as he believed I could do it. Over the past 6 months, I have learned more than ever before, and have had the opportunity to run events for groups as large as 300 people!".
"I love my new role. The best part of the job is that not one day is the same, which is perfect for me, as it keeps me on my toes and gives me the chance to learn new things, as well as improving the quality of my work each and every day".
"Looking ahead, I'm keen to stay with the company and progress as far as I can. For anyone considering joining the company and taking a role in hospitality, I would say, do it! It has really changed my life and the support from managers and supervisors at Inchyra has allowed me to be in the position I am today".
