The Wine & Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has launched a new recruitment tool as it looks to help the drinks industry tackle widespread vacancies.

The new jobs board aims to help fill the one in 10 jobs that are reported to be vacant across hospitality, drinks retail and leisure.

The dedicated jobs section on the WSTA’s “new and improved” website will be open for members and non-members to advertise vacancies.

The WSTA revamped the page after hearing from members, nationwide, the full extent of the crippling job crisis.

As well as expanding the jobs board, the trade association’s monthly newsletter will also carry a special jobs section.

Miles Beale, WSTA chief executive (pictured), said: “We are keen to do everything we can to help industry colleagues plug the gaps in the current staffing crisis. Many of our members are struggling with recruiting the right people with the right skills. We hope our new jobs board will help spread the word of the rich and varied roles currently available. 

“The sector has taken a real bashing following the brutal lockdowns and in order for recovery to take root we need to do all we can to help build the drinks industry workforce back up to full strength.”

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality added that the jobs board initiative is a positive step towards a problem that is “acutely stifling hospitality’s ability to pull out of the dreadful impacts that the pandemic wrought on our sector”.

Non-members can now submit job vacancies for a small fee.

Earlier this month, leading industry figures said only a recession or a return en masse of foreign workers will fix crippling staff shortages across hospitality and drinks retailing.