Training challenge for Beaumonde

As director of Perth hospitality company, Beaumonde Catering, Mark Dimmitt knows first-hand the difficulties of running a small business. From finding skilled staff to understanding complex political rules and regulations, it is all in a day’s work.

In 15 years since it opened its doors, Beaumonde Catering has expanded from employing two full-time staff to a team of 20, but the big challenge has been trying to maintain a pool of “good, casual wait staff”, according to Mr Dimmitt.

The nation-wide skills shortage has been a contributing factor to this situation, but Mr Dimmitt also realises that not being able to offer regular work also makes it hard.

“This industry is very seasonal therefore we can’t always offer regular work,” Mr Dimmitt told WA Business News.

But perhaps the most complicated part of the business, and the cause of most stress for Mr Dimmitt, is the non-operational side of being a small to medium enterprise.

“Industrial relations and trying to keep up with government is really hard,” he said.

“The rules and regulations and the paperwork – there is so much of it.

“We don’t have a human resources department so we have to keep our eyes on everything.

“Dealing with GST, payroll and all the rest, we have no expertise in these fields but we have to try and understand it.”

Training is one of the biggest issues, according to Mr Dimmitt. He said there was not enough training undertaken or provided despite an expectation that people come to a job trained.

“We do take apprentices and trainees but most of our workforce is casual and part-time,” Mr Dimmitt said.

It was quite timely, then, that late last year a group of industry experts including Mr Dimmitt formed a consultancy group to help improve the hospitality sector and secure its future.

“We work with and help the West Coast TAFE hospitality school,” he said. “The group comprises a number of people from all aspects of the hospitality industry.

“We offer advice and an industry perspective of the courses they are offering including the content and curriculum.

“The aim is to close the nexus between needs of the industry and the training on offer.”

BEAUMONDE

• Opened in 1980.
• Challenge to maintain a pool of ‘good, casual wait staff’.
• IR and GST and associated bookkeeping is time consuming and difficult.
• Insufficient training a concern for industry.