Launch Of New Hospitality Qualifications

NEWS RELEASE

22 October 1999

LAUNCH OF NEW HOSPITALITY QUALIFICATIONS

The Hospitality Standards Institute (HSI) today launched a new set of qualifications for the hospitality industry, to meet the increasing demand for more professional and well qualified staff to service the growth being driven by domestic and international tourism.

Nicki Stewart, chief executive of the HSI, said the eleven new qualifications have been developed very much by the industry, for the industry. “The HSI has been privileged to have the input of New Zealand’s top chefs, caterers, restaurateurs and the wider hospitality industry.”

There are eleven new registered qualifications made up of 200 unit standards covering: cookery; food and beverage service; front office service; accommodation services and guest services; hospitality management and pre-employment qualifications. These will be followed shortly by more qualifications in high level food and beverage service and high-level specialist cookery.

Included in the new crop of qualifications are three new industry specific qualifications that have been initiated and funded by different parts of the hospitality sector, in what is described by Nicki Stewart as a ‘first’ for the industry in New Zealand.

“The industry-sponsored qualifications are a strong indicator that businesses in the hospitality sector are highly motivated to move in an increasingly professional and sophisticated direction.”

Industry sponsored qualifications include;

 a tap beer maintenance qualification, incorporating the history of beer, how to serve it, evaluate it and match it with food, funded by Lion and DB through the Beer Wine and Spirits Council;

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 a Barista qualification (the art of coffee making), funded by FreshFood Services (NZ) Pty Ltd;
 an advanced food and beverage qualification which includes training options in guéridon (flambé cookery), silver service, advanced wine and beverage service and gaming training, funded by the New Zealand Chartered Clubs.

Nicki Stewart said “in developing the new qualifications, the New Zealand hospitality industry has recognised they must raise standards and create an industry where hospitality is seen as a career, not just a student job option on the side.”

“One of the driving forces behind the need for higher standards and more relevant qualifications in the hospitality industry is the continuing growth of tourism in New Zealand”.

“Statistics New Zealand tell us that total spending in New Zealand by all tourists was $9.1 billion for the year ended March 1995. This amounts to big business in New Zealand and it is vital it is supported by well run, highly professional establishments, employing competent and professional people.”

The HSI presented certificates of registration to the first two companies to pilot the new workplace based qualifications; the Plaza International and the Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation Group, which runs the ParkRoyal and Centra hotels.

Nicki Stewart said it has taken two years and considerable input from the hospitality sector to take all the old unit standards off the framework, redesign them and re-register them with NZQA.

“Because these new qualifications have been designed by the industry we know they will deliver the standard of training and expertise that will count in the workplace, both in New Zealand and internationally.”

“For students, work place training offers them the ability to earn as they learn and train at a pace that suits them. It also gives them the opportunity to gain recognition for a job they may already be doing, provided they meet the required standards.”

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Catherine Beard,
Comsar Communications,
Tel (04) 389 0544, Mob (021) 633 212 Nicki Stewart
Chief Executive, HSI,
Tel (04) 802 7816, Mob (025) 371 875

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