The taxpayer is to help fund the wages of student chefs.

University College Isle of Man (UCM) is working with restaurants and hotels and the government’s tourism agency, Visit Isle of Man on the Manx Culinary Apprentice Scheme, which launches next month.

The government’s Department of Education, Sport and Culture will contribute towards their salaries ’by providing an element of funding, subject to criteria, to employers who take part in the scheme’, a spokesman said.

There is a shortage of chefs in the island.

The apprentice scheme is primarily based around workplace employment with apprentices completing a 12-month programme that incorporates one day a week at UCM and four days in the working kitchen of the employer.

The scheme is open to all residents over the age of 16 years and, while previous kitchen experience would be advantageous, there are no specific entry requirements.

Employers are ’encouraged’ to pay apprentices a minimum wage of £12,000 a year and provide an annual leave entitlement.

Upon completion, successful apprentices will be awarded a NVQ Level 2 City and Guilds diploma in professional cookery and will have qualified to work full time within the local hospitality and catering industry.

Mark Wilson, the managing director of Sleepwell Hotels and a board member of Visit Isle of Man, said: ’I am delighted that UCM and local hospitality businesses can now offer this exciting apprentice scheme to aspiring local chefs.

’We hope that the scheme will encourage those who have a passion for cooking and a desire to work in a progressive and exciting industry, where there are boundless opportunities to develop new skills, to take a step forward and apply.

’We’re already extremely pleased with the uptake of local businesses who have committed to take part and I would encourage others within the sector who wish to join the scheme to contact me to discuss the opportunities and merits of the scheme, as well as criteria for qualifying as an employer for the scheme.’

Jo Pretty, principal at UCM, said: ’Historically UCM has offered full time two- to three-year courses within our hospitality and catering department and, while this will of course continue, discussions with industry have made it clear that a fast track apprentice model would be advantageous to both employers and employees alike.’

Ranald Caldwell, non-executive chair of Visit Isle of Man, said: ’It’s wonderful to see the agency fulfilling its potential and generating positive outcomes for the industry and I commend Mark and the working group for the work undertaken to get to this point.’

The deadline to apply for the first intake of the new scheme is Sunday, September 1, with a starting date of Monday, September 9.

A second intake will follow in February 2020.

For more information and/or to apply, applicants and businesses should email Chris Franklin, deputy manager of hospitality and catering at UCM, at [email protected] or call 648344.