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From Hospitality to Security

June 18, 2021 | by Billy McCutheon | My Path to Provincial

Five years in Greece

“I worked in Greece in a bar for five years,” says Billy. “Every year a guy came over from Ireland named Eoin. He’d come over with his wife, drink in the bar and obviously there was the Irish connection there so we became good friends. He was always telling me about this great security company that he worked for and told me if I ever got back to Ireland to get in touch.”

Billy had moved to Greece in his early twenties after a short stint in college studying hospitality management.

“I worked in the bar and restaurant industry a lot when I was young so I felt I already knew much of what was required,” says Billy. “I also felt there was more out there for me so I took off and travelled for a year and was lucky enough to end up in Greece.”

“I had an amazing time in Crete,” says Billy. “I met a lot of great people and it kind of led to where I am now. I feel that when you work in a holiday resort you have to learn to deal with lots of different types of people from all over the world. To be thrown into a bar in your early twenties, it builds your confidence. You learn to deal with different nationalities and cultures. It gave me great experience which I have carried through to my current role. So it’s very similar to working front of house at an international company. No two days are ever the same.”

With the economic crash, the party in Greece ended abruptly in 2012. Though things were not much better in Ireland, Billy decided to return home.

Working with Provincial

“I worked in a few bars and restaurants back home for about three years,” he recalls. “To be honest, I sort of forgot about Eoin’s invitation to get in touch.”

As luck would have it, he didn’t need to remember. Eoin had not forgotten his holidays to Crete and the bartender with a talent for making people feel welcome and at ease. An opening had come up on Eoin’s team and he knew the perfect candidate to fill the role.

“They wanted to open roles up to people with special needs…and we got straight down to it, hiring four people with Down’s Syndrome in 2020. I’m delighted to say that it has been so successful in Dublin that it is being rolled out to other locations across the globe.”

“He actually found me through Facebook and got in touch,” says Billy. “He reached out and asked if I was still in Greece. I explained that I was home and he seemed delighted with that and told me that there was an opportunity on a site for a well-known international company in Dublin. Initially, I was part of the security team but I only lasted about eight weeks there and was moved to the reception team. I was more suited to that role to be honest. Both myself and Provincial could see that I had the customer service side of things but I’m not security minded and early on we both accepted that.”

Progression with Provincial

From there Billy moved on to become the site Events Manager, inheriting a growing team of Brand Ambassadors that he would manage for the next two years. He was again bumped up the chain in early 2020 when the roles for Front of House Manager and Events were merged and expanded.

The 35-year-old now manages a team of twenty. He has taken initiatives that have broadened the diversity of the people he works with and have given him immense personal satisfaction. As well as overseeing the successful rollout of the new Brand Ambassador roles, Billy was responsible for kick-starting the hiring of people with special needs.

“I was approached in 2019 by the client,” says Billy. “They wanted to open roles up to people with special needs. This was something that I was very passionate about and we got straight down to it, hiring four people with Down’s Syndrome in 2020. I’m delighted to say that it has been so successful in Dublin that it is being rolled out to other locations across the globe.”

Billy sees their approach to people as being at the heart of Provincial’s success.

“They really believe in the people they hire,” he says. “They know everyone that works with them, they are attentive and always approachable. I think whether you work with them or for them, that’s something you will notice straight away. It’s a great place to work.”

Do you have a background in hospitality? Get in touch with our team today!

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