People 1st has submitted its business plan for the hospitality arm of the government’s new National Skills Academies.

If the strategy is approved by the government in September, hospitality will be the first sector to be awarded an Academy.

Chair of the shadow board for the Academy, Mike Burton, said: “This is an important milestone achieved by a shadow board of leading employers and educationalists and by dedication from People 1st.”

The Hospitality Skills Academy aims to work with the government and top industry providers in a bid to provide vocational education and training for school leavers and adults tailor-made to meet the specific needs of the hospitality industry nationwide.

The skills and targets to be met were set out in the Leitch Implementation Plan, which was released in July.

Industry employers have pledged £16m in capital investment and £50m in dedicated time and resources to initiative.