Hospitality Students Fly High at the Radisson Plaza Hotel
Radisson Plaza Hotel – Sydney is developing the passions and skills of Year 12 hospitality students through the hotly contested High Flyers 2009 competition. Year 12 hospitality students across Sydney compete for the opportunity to be one of 19 finalists to produce a gala dinner on hotel premises for their proud parents and teachers. Finalists go in the running to win a Commercial Cookery apprenticeship with Radisson Plaza Hotel – Sydney or a Diploma of Hospitality Management at Kenvale College of Hospitality Management and Tourism. This flagship scholarship competition provides a great entrée into the dynamic industry of hospitality for entry level candidates and is now in its 3rd year. According to the hotel’s HR Manager Tania Stevenson, the quality of the candidates just keeps getting better. “Every year we see the standard of applicants exceed the previous year. This year, the 2009 cohort were so outstanding, we increased the number of cooking finalists from 5 to10 this year.” 150 students have participated in the program to date, 5 of whom have won scholarships. Finalists from the competition in 2007 and 2008 are continuing their training with Radisson Plaza Hotel – Sydney. The competition is held in conjunction with Kenvale College Hospitality and Event Management. Selena Hooper, College Director, Kenvale College of Hospitality Management and Tourism agrees, saying, “It is very encouraging to see so many young people with service skills that are so highly prized today in the hospitality industry. The participants have a great future ahead of them in this industry.” Employability skills essential to hospitality such as customer service, personal and professional grooming, time management, communication skills and working in a team are polished to perfection prior to the event. The competition was won by: Cookery: - Seth Zworestine (Masada College) Certificate III Commercial Cookery apprenticeship
- Lan-Tien Zhang (Randwick Girls High School) Runner up
Hospitality Management: - Melissa Keys (Cherrybrook Technology High School) winner Diploma in Hospitality Management
- Belinda Warren (Woolooware High School) Runner up
Other finalists included: - Gemma Van Dam (Woolooware High School)
- Natalie Kerr (Riverside Girls High School)
- Soo-Ping Yap (Port Hacking High School)
- Jessica McConkey (St Clare’s High School)
- Natalie Austin (St Ursula’s College-Kingsgrove)
- Rachel Nadwie (Nagle College
- Timothy O’Dwyer (Marist North Shore)
- Matthew Brown (Canterbury Boy’s High School)
- Alaura Cumberland (Marist Sisters College, Woolwich)
- Liam Gurman (Pittwater High School)
- Brendan Garlick (Winmalee High School)
- Daniel Walsh (Heathcote High School)
- Lyle Diaz (Marist College)
- Brent Lee (De La Salle Senior College)
- Lisa Micati (Tyndale Christian School)
Peter Tudehope, General Manager of the Radisson Plaza Hotel – Sydney shared his experiences in the industry and the developments that have made hospitality the exciting industry it is. The evening was MC-ed by Regional Industry Career Adviser with the NSW Business Chamber Melody Green. Planning for next year’s Radisson High Flyers Program is already underway and details will be available to schools early in 2010. If your business is interested in being involved in a similar showcase of your industry, please contact the Regional Industry Career Adviser in your region: Melody Green
Regional Industry Career Adviser
Northern Sydney, Northern Beaches
NSW Business Chamber
t > 0408 612 327
e > melody.green@nswbc.com.au
Look up the RICA in your region Find out more about Regional Industry Careers Advisers
|