WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Amajor focus of the THA’s workforce development team is to promote awareness of careers in hospitality to all students in years 9-12 and to develop and promote pathway opportunities for those students who make the decision that
“It was kind of two streams, one to get students cooking from scratch and enjoying cooking and also expanding their taste profiles, because some aren’t used to eating a wide range of foods either,” Sutton said. “The second one was to create a careers pathway, give them some skills, including customer service skills and get them work ready. “It’s proven very successful. I’ve been there for seven years and my students go up to Rosny and they do really, really well.” Sutton first set up a program that runs from years to 7 to 10, and is constantly adapting to current trends within the industry. “I do look at food trends, for examplewe did a food truck special, a unit which I’ve shared with quite a few schools around Australia where students had to work in teams to produce a product and sell. “We didn’t actually have the trucks but we did that kind of food. “We’ve done Asian street food and we do indigenous foods. It’s kind of stretching their imagination and trying to get them to think outside the square. “At the moment the students are doing foods from around the world and they’ve all picked a country and brainstormed dishes that they wanted to make. One of them was a Korean hot dog which when I looked at it I went “oh my god” but we made it and it was spectacular.” Aside from the four year program, students also have the opportunity to do the Hospitality and Tourism package of learning in Grades nine and 10.
hospitality is the career for them. In the past 12 months we have:
• Delivered awareness sessions to over 1000 students, from 55 classes in 27 different state, independent and catholic schools across Tasmania • Attended 18 school career events • Presented six Hospitality Showcases allowing more than 600 students to learn from young industry leaders and practice hands on skills in a bar, barista, front of house and kitchen setting • Supported 48 students in our Hospitality Pathway program, many of them aspiring young women keen to become chefs Clarence High has been an active participant in THA programs and offers students in years 9 and 10 the opportunity to enrol in a hospitality specific Package of Learning. Clarence is our first ‘school in focus’, a series of articles which will celebrate and share the great things schools are doing to help nurture the future hospitality workforce. Seven years ago Amanda Sutton joined Clarence High with a vision of creating a café culture in a high school. Coming from a “big picture” background, Sutton set the wheels in motion for what is now a program with a defined pathway and aim.
Workforce Development Enquires? Contact Roger O’Meagher Email: roger@tha.asn.au or call (03) 6220 7306
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