New Funded Skills Programme Opens to Support Hospitality Businesses Across North East Fife

A new government‑backed skills and leadership programme has opened its doors to hospitality businesses in North East Fife, offering funded training designed to support staff development, retention and long‑term business resilience.

The HospitaliTAY programme, delivered through the Tay Cities Hospitality Skills Project, has launched its Expression of Interest (EOI) phase, giving eligible hospitality employers access to fully funded training opportunities for their workforce. Expression of Interest (EOI) Website: Expression of Interest | Fife College 

Funded by the Scottish Government through the Tay Cities Region Deal, the programme is part of wider efforts to strengthen the hospitality sector by addressing long‑standing skills gaps while supporting staff progression and leadership development.

Addressing Skills and Retention Challenges

Hospitality businesses across Scotland continue to face rising costs, recruitment pressures and challenges around staff retention. HospitaliTAY has been developed in direct response to these issues, with a focus on practical, employer‑led training that supports both individual employees and the businesses they work for.

The programme offers access to funded training that helps employees build confidence, gain recognised qualifications and develop professional and leadership skills. Employers are supported to invest in their teams without bearing the full financial cost of training, helping to build capacity within their businesses while improving staff satisfaction and progression.

For many businesses, the programme presents an opportunity to support experienced staff into supervisory or leadership roles, strengthening management capability from within at a time when external recruitment can be difficult.

Focus on North East Fife and the Tay Cities Region

While HospitaliTAY is open across the wider Tay Cities Region — including Dundee, Perth & Kinross and Angus — a defined element of the programme is targeted at North East Fife, where eligible hospitality businesses are encouraged to register interest.

Clear eligibility criteria, including a North East Fife boundary map, are set out on the project website to help businesses quickly understand whether they can take part.

By supporting workforce development across the region, the programme aims to contribute to more resilient local hospitality businesses and strengthen the visitor economy that underpins many communities.

Simple Application Process

Hospitality businesses interested in taking part are asked to complete a short Expression of Interest form. Information submitted at this stage will automatically transfer to the full application process, meaning businesses will not be required to apply twice, reducing administrative burden.

The Expression of Interest closes on 24 May, after which eligible businesses will be invited to progress to the next stage.

Full details on the programme, eligibility requirements and how to register interest are available via Fife College’s project web pages.

Part of a Broader Investment in the Sector

HospitaliTAY forms part of a wider programme of activity funded through the Tay Cities Region Deal, which focuses on skills, innovation and inclusive growth across the region. By targeting hospitality — a sector that plays a central role in local economies and the visitor experience — the programme aims to support recovery while investing in the people who power the industry.

Businesses are also encouraged to follow HospitaliTAY on LinkedIn and Facebook to receive updates as the programme develops and further opportunities become available.

For enquiries, hospitality businesses can contact the project team directly at HospitalityTCRD@fife.ac.uk.