Stockholm, Sweden - The hotel and restaurant industries are among those hit hardest by the coronavirus crisis. Skill Shift Initiative in collaboration with Grand Hôtel Stockholm is adding additional fast-track intensive training to take advantage of the available expertise in the hotel and restaurant industries with the aim of relieving the pressure on healthcare in the Stockholm area.

The 3-day training starts on April 7. The pilot round is being offered to 25 employees from Grand Hôtel Stockholm and Courtyard by Marriott Hotel. In the next round McDonald’s employees will also be offered places. Those who have completed training will be offered work in the City of Stockholm’s healthcare facilities among others. After the pilot round the intention is to scale up training so that hundreds of employees from the hotel and restaurant industries can participate.

“We are able to convert one of our large conference rooms into a training facility and will also be using a digital education platform for some of the practical steps. I am convinced that our competent staff will be able to contribute to Stockholm City and help relieve some of the pressure on healthcare during this difficult time,” says Pia Djupmark, CEO of Grand Hôtel Stockholm.

“The City of Stockholm is in the midst of a shift in our healthcare operations with increased staffing requirements as a result. The fact that we are now able to meet part of that need via Skill Shift Initiative by utilizing the expertise of laid-off hotel staff and restaurant workers feels rewarding and important,” says Anna König Jerlmyr (M) Mayor of the City of Stockholm.

“At a challenging time, this is a good opportunity for the employees who are affected by the current situation. We live and work in Stockholm and our skilled employees are a huge resource, for us it is important to join in and support this initiative,” says Erik Hellman, Chief Operating Officer of 9 McDonald’s restaurants in Stockholm.

The 3-day program has been designed by Christina Sundman and Christina Riddebäck, both nurses with extensive experience in teaching, practical training and nursing.

“We will provide a 3-day intensive introduction to healthcare in a crisis situation. We will go through interpersonal skills, patient confidentiality, hygiene and sterilization, first-aid and also care of people with life-threatening illness and end-of-life care including ethical principles. We combine practical and theoretical learning but considering the risk of infection, all practical training will be from a distance.”

Funding for the 3-day intensive is being provided by Patricia Industries, part of Investor AB.

About Skill Shift Initiative ”Beredskapslyftet”

Skill Shift Initiative mobilizes temporarily available personnel from the business community to support Swedish healthcare during the coronavirus crisis.

Read more: https://www.beredskapslyftet.se/english

Contact

Press contact Grand Hôtel: Maya Johansson, +46(0)0735-19 01 74 Maya.Johansson@grandhotel.se

Press contact McDonald’s: Henrik Nerell, +46(0)703-54 85 05 media@se.mcd.com

Press contact Courtyard by Marriott Hotel: Susanne Karlsson, +46(0)70-977 27 94

Susanne.Karlsson@marriotthotels.se

Press contact Skill Shift Initiative: David Löfvendahl, +46(0)761-14 56 01 David.Lofvendahl@novare.se