EDITORIAL
Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events Rebecca White
Working with businesses and industry to build a stronger economy Over the past 12 months, members of the Tasmanian Labor team and I have been meeting with and listening to hospitality business and industry representatives around the state to plan for Tasmania’s future. We know from these talks that urgent action is needed to address problems that are holding back both the hospitality sector and the wider economy. Among these is the longstanding shortage of skilled and qualified workers that requires much greater attention from government. Earlier this month I visited students at TasTAFE participating in the Hospitality Showcase hosted by the THA. Over the course of the year, nearly 1000 students have had the opportunity to attend the Showcase in Devonport, Launceston and Hobart and learn how to perform front and back-of-house tasks and speak with ambassadors from the hospitality industry. The Rose Bay High School students I spoke with learnt how to work in the kitchen, the bar, on the restaurant floor and how to make a great coffee. I jumped behind the bar with a few of them and reinvigorated my bar
skills from many years ago as we mixed up some mocktails.
Labor wants more people to choose a career in hospitality and the Hospitality Showcase offers young people a taster and a clear understanding of the variety of roles they can have in hospitality. Of course, there’s more to be done to help industry and workers – that’s why Labor has also committed to a number of measures to improve TasTAFE by investing in the teacher workforce and offering six-month scholarships to people from trade or professional backgrounds to help them become qualified TAFE teachers. We will also support current TAFE teachers to spend more time in the trades they teach, ensuring they can keep up to date with modern industry practices and support students to be ready for work from the moment they walk out the door. A Labor government will work with industry and TAFE to increase opportunities for training and get apprentices and trainees moving through their courses without disruption. All of this is just the start – and Labor is committed to continuing to work with industry to support hospitality businesses and workers and build a future that benefits all Tasmanians.
17 Tasmanian Hospitality Review August/September Edition
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