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Five Scottish graduates from Diageo’s award-winning Learning for Life hospitality programme this week helped deliver an authentic Burns Night evening for the UK Government’s Scotland Office, at its historic Dover House home in Whitehall.
The five worked at the Burns Connections Reception, which welcomed 160 guests, including Secretary of State for Scotland Rt Hon Ian Murray MP, and Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill MP, for an evening of culture, hospitality, high-quality Scotch whisky, in honour of Burns Night, a celebration of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.
A global programme that was first unveiled in Latin America in 2008, Learning for Life launched in Scotland in 2014. Delivered in partnership with Springboard and aimed at tackling youth unemployment, the programme equips individuals facing barriers to employment with the skills and resources needed for a career in hospitality. This includes training in finance, procurement, team management and leadership.
Gary Graham, one of the graduates who attended, said: "Being part of this Burns Supper in London was an unforgettable experience. It’s incredible to see how far I’ve come since joining the programme, and I’m proud to bring a bit of Scotland to such a special evening."
Gillian Dalziel, Diageo’s Learning for Life Programme Manager, said: "Our graduates brought not only a true sense of Scotland to the heart of London but also a remarkable level of professionalism, enthusiasm, and skill. They demonstrated exactly why Learning for Life is so impactful – it’s about more than training; it’s about empowering individuals to thrive and exceed expectations. I couldn’t be prouder of how they represented both themselves and the programme."
Diageo has invested £1 million annually in the Scottish programme over the past decade, supporting over 2,000 people in Scotland and more than 7,000 across the UK, with 83% of graduates moving into sustained employment.
Burns Night, which falls on 25 January, commemorates the life and work of Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, and is a widely celebrated event in Scotland each year (and beyond!) – and Scotch whisky is the traditional centre of these celebrations. Diageo is the largest exporter of Scotch whisky in the world, producing over 100 Scotch whisky brands.