Jesmond Dene House General Manager Scott Davidson is celebrating as he has just received confirmation of a scholarship place on The Master Innholder Scholorship Programme in June 2014.

The ten-day course takes place at Cornell University, New York State and Scott will be joining fellow managers from round the globe as part of the General Manager programme.

After being endorsed by an existing member of the Master Innholders, Scott had to submit a written application and was then one of thirty six applicants to be selected for interview at a top London hotel. He was then delighted to be advised of his place, along with only three other applicants, at the end of last week.

The Master Innholder Scholarship Programme is funded by the Worshipful Company of Innholders in partnership with The Savoy Educational Trust and the Lord Forte Foundation. The purpose of the Scholarships is to introduce middle management in the hospitality industry to senior/general management techniques by exposure to short intensive courses of management education, thereby providing knowledge, skills and training not readily available in the workplace.

As most large companies have structured management development programmes, the majority of candidates will come from the independent sector where the absence of formal training programmes and economic pressures on time make it difficult for them to receive such training by conventional routes.

Candidates will be active middle managers in the hospitality industry and likely to be promoted to senior/general management positions within the next few years. Many candidates will have had a formal education and will hold a degree or diploma in hotel management (or similar). However, managers who have attained their positions through a company scheme or have worked their way up through experience will also be encouraged, provided they can demonstrate an aptitude for the learning experience being provided and are seeking further promotion. Candidates will normally have had at least four years experience in management positions.

These scholarships have been running since 1997 and there are over 170 people that have benefited from attending one of our courses since then. The programme has been funded annually by the Worshipful Company of Innholders and the Savoy Educational Trust who between them have invested well over £1 million in the management of our industry. This commitment is making a significant impact on helping the UK to compete successfully in an ever more competitive world-wide industry.

Scott comments: "I am delighted and privileged to have been awarded this scholarship. It will offer a great opportunity for my professional growth and provide lots of new ideas and innovative ways of thinking for me to bring back and implement with my team"

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If you would like further information, interviews, or to visit the hotel, please contact Nicky Sherman, marketing manager, 0191 212 3000, 07801 494495, nsherman@jesmonddenehouse.co.uk.

The 40-bedroom hotel, overlooking the wooded valley of Jesmond Dene and just five minutes' drive from Newcastle city centre, combines the rich and handsome features of an Arts and Crafts house with a warm and relaxed contemporary style.  Privately owned, the hotel opened in September 2005 after an 18-month conversion of the 19th-century, Grade ll-Listed building.  It won AA Hotel of the Year 2008-09 and has been awarded the Good Hotel Guide Cesar 'City Hotel of the Year 2013 and is included in the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice 2013 Top 25 Hotels in the UK.

The Restaurant was awarded three AA rosettes in 2009 and was also nominated as one of the best restaurants outside London.

The hotel's website, www.jesmonddenehouse.co.uk, has a Press Room with full press pack and images to download.