CEO's Report
In early October I had the pleasure to travel to Nadi on Fiji’s west coast with the THA's Peter Sheldon-Collins, to assist in progressing an important hospitality development initiative. TheTHAhas been supportingRotaryAustraliawith thedevelopment of the Drasa Charmer School of Catering, a vocational training school managed by the Drasa Secondary school, located north of Lautoka. The school is one of a few remaining schools in Fiji approved by the Ministry of Education to provide vocational education and training (year 13), alongside its secondary education program. The Drasa Charmer project commenced in 2007 and is part of the larger Rotary Fiji Schools project, which supports the development of around 20 secondary schools in western Fiji. The Drasa region is a relatively underprivileged area and the Drasa Charmer catering school provides an important opportunity for the students in the region to develop future careers opportunities in the hospitality industry in Fiji. The THA and the Tasmanian Department of State Growth have supported the Drasa Charmer project for many years, initially through the provision of second hand computers as part of government upgrades, as well as sourcing kitchen equipment with the assistance of the THA. More recently the THA assisted the Rotary Fiji Schools project team in seeking funding support from Rotary International, to provide the students with additional facilities to support their training program. This funding was approved in June 2019. The Drasa Charmer project has seen the catering school develop the facilities and a teaching program where its graduates are now being recognised by the hotel and resort industry. The project had also reached the point where it was important to
further develop the relationships between the school and the local hospitality industry, as well as relationships with higher education providers. This was particularly important in developing the pathways for those Drasa Charmer graduates looking to enter the workforce as well as those graduates looking to continue on with higher education, and the THA was very pleased to assist in this. Along with Rotary Fiji Schools project representative Mr Denys Tilly, and Peter Sheldon-Collins – the THA’s Project Manager responsible for the THA’s participation in the project – I had the pleasure of meeting venue managers from the Denarau resort hotels, the Chief Executive Officer of Pacific TAFE Dr Hasmukh Lal, Pacific TAFE’s Team Leader Ms Parijata Moeava, the Drasa School Principal Mr Pushp Sharma, the head of the Drasa Charmer catering school Ms Luisana Vosavakarua and the Drasa school council. It was pleasing for me to see how positive and supportive everyone was and that there was a genuine interest in working with the school, to strengthen and further develop its training program and to develop the pathways for the students into the industry and onto higher education. A number of the resort venues will now actively engage with the catering school, including school visits by their professional staff to talk about careers in the industry, their chefs providing cooking demonstrations, student visits to the venues and potential work experience opportunities. Importantly, the direct connection with the industry will be important in opening up the pathways for the graduates looking for employment in the industry. And Pacific TAFE and the Drasa school are now working on formalising their relationship, to develop the pathways for Drasa graduates looking to go on to further education. I think projects such as the Drasa Charmer catering school project demonstrate what can be achieved through dedication and an ongoing commitment.
Drasa Charmer Kitchen - before and after
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Hospitality Review
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