CATERING employers are being invited to Salisbury College, on March 31, for the third in a series of free business seminars.

The event will include a short presentation and discussion on the benefits of the modern apprenticeship and Free2Learn initiatives offered by Salisbury College.

The seminar aims to address the skills shortage in the catering industry, which suggests that 29 per cent of catering employers in the south-west are experiencing difficulty in recruiting qualified staff.

Modern apprenticeships are for people aged 16 to 24 years of age and combine learning on and off the job.

The Free2Learn project aims to raise the level of employees' skills, to give businesses more of a competitive edge.

It achieves this by offering employees work-related training, as well as improving literacy, numeracy and language skills.

For more information, contact Annette Goodrum, at Salisbury College, on 01722 344330.