BUSINESS - QUEENSTOWN
It can be difficult for young people to decide on a career path, but hospitality group Hilton Worldwide is giving Queenstown youth a hands-on experience into a potential career direction.
Hospitality continues to be one of the world’s most popular career choices, attracting one in 11 jobs internationally.
In Queenstown however, with more children than ever growing up in Queenstown, very few are choosing a career in the town’s hotels, according to industry experts.
Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa are hoping to buck that trend and attract more school leavers into the hospitality sector as part of Hilton Worldwide’s annual global career event, which aims to showcase the opportunities for youth in the industry.
Every day this week (May 23 to 27), Year 7 and 8 students from Remarkables Primary School will be able to experience careers in the kitchen, front office and housekeeping areas of the hotel, followed by a chance to eat the pizzas they make.
Eighty-eight students from Queenstown Resort College and Southern Institute of Technology, Queenstown Campus will also have a chance to participate, with a day of on-the-job training in barista and bar work as well as a full behind-the-scenes site inspection.
Chris Ehmann, general manager of Hilton Queenstown Resort and Spa, says it is a wonderful opportunity for the hotel to encourage and upskill those students who may be interested in the hospitality sector.
“We’re thrilled to be able to showcase our dynamic industry to young people in our area, and we hope to inspire their passion for a career in hospitality. We see this as a great investment in the community and our industry.”
Ehmann says along with the Queenstown, Auckland and Lake Taupo properties, Hilton Worldwide hotels and corporate offices globally will be hosting hundreds of events to inform those looking for employment about the exciting and diverse career opportunities in the hospitality industry.
Ehmann says the initiative is a part of Hilton Worldwide’s Open Doors commitment, which aims to positively impact at least one million young people by 2019 and better prepare them to reach their full potential.
(Source)