Bacardi has launched an initiative to address youth unemployment. The European launch of Shake Your Future is a bartending and mixology training program that aims to help young adults get into the hospitality industry.
The initiative is rolling out in Italy, France, Spain over the coming months, with the program expected to reach 12 major cities globally within three years. The program has been developed in partnership with the European Bartender School and was initially launched as a pilot in 2018. Youth unemployment reached an all-time high in the European Union, at 15 percent, but there remained a shortage of bartenders and staff—this addresses both of these issues.
Participants will be trained for ten weeks, where they will learn about bartending and mixology. They will also gain invaluable work experience in some of the industry’s best bars and restaurants. Through the initiative, participants will have access to permanent employment and will receive an internationally recognised diploma.
“This is only the beginning,” said Francis Debeuckelaere, Europe regional president for Bacardi. “Shake Your Future will change the lives of potentially thousands of young adults around the world. Across Europe, our teams have witnessed first-hand the scale of unemployment among young adults, and we are committed to making a difference. Through no fault of their own, some people just don’t get the break they deserve. We want to give them that break.”
