Information Session

There will be an information session this Friday the 28th of January in the Practice Dining Room 2 at The Ourimbah TAFE Campus. The session will commence at 10 am, and take approximately one hour. Students who attended the first session may not need to attend, except that student timetables will be distributed during the session. For those who dont attend the first class will commence on the Ninth of February at 9 am in Room IT5.

New Streamlined Course in 2009

The Diploma of Hospitality Management becomes simply the Diploma of Hospitality in 2009. National Competencies will become the framework for the new course. Students will need 39 units to complete the course. This new structure presents the opportunity to do something fresh and new with our course content. The photo below is of the Crusoe Hotel in Fife Scotland, built right onto the foreshore rocks.

Crowne Plaza Scholarship winners

The Crowne Plaza Terrigal hosted the Crowne Plaza Scholarship presentation yesterday. Pictured are the winners from both Hamilton Campus of TAFE and our students from Ourimbah. Our students from the right are Lisa Jordan, Sean McCutcheon, Alison Hodgeson and Kelly Morris. They were deserved winners and it is hoped that this begins a period of closer ties with the Crown Plaza.

Daniel Cooper wins the Tourism Minister's Award!

Diploma student Daniel Cooper has emerged from the others to take the 2006 Tourism Minister's Award. Daniel's award was gained from the excellent work he completed as a level four student in the Food and Beverage section at Ourimbah Campus. Still, because he is now a Hospitality Management student we will claim some of the glory!! Daniels combination of IT skills and hospitality compatible attributes and attitudes look like they will take him in whatever direction he chooses to go. Congratulations Daniel, well done.

Angela swaps chef's whites for a suit!

Towards the end of 2005 Diploma student Angela O'Connor decided to seek greener pastures by leaving the course earlier than expected but still gaining her Level Four supervision certificate. This has turned out to be a good decision for her. She has netted a really good position at Optus since then and the future looks very bright for her. Angela is pictured at the very right of the kitchen shot below. The ability to exit the course early and still gain a useful qualification is a strong point of our course.

Four!!! Ourimbah students make the finals of the Tourism Ministers award

Four students in the Diploma or Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management Course at Ourimbah Campus were shortlisted recently for receipt of the annual Tourism Minister's award for 2006. Nominated students must have had a sustained academic achievement and have been able demonstrate the capabilities and personal qualities that would make a significant contribution to the NSW tourism industry. Our section is proud that four students were considered suitable for interview and await confirmation of the winner with much anticipation.
Pictured below is Jessica Morris one of the students from the Central Coast Campus who entered the award process.

Student presentations showcase student skills

Students in the Advanced Diploma Hospitality Management at the Central Coast Campus have been completing a series of class presentations aimed at improving student confidence in public speaking situations. The students have completed a program of enquiry into a topic of interest to them and then presented the results via a formal presentation for assessment. The presentations have ranged from the effects of smoking in the workplace to environmentally friendly hotels among others. The quality of their work has been first rate as has the standard of student presentation.

Tourism and Hospitality Surveys are being administered by the students of the Diploma of Hopsitality Management at the Central Coast Campus. The information will be used to improve the quality of the courseofferings availbale to students and industry.

Event Management Survey

Quality under pressure

On a recent visit to the Diploma students in the kitchens of the Preview Restaurant it was great to see the enthusiasm of the students as they faced the challenge of serving 40 customers booked for diner that evening. Walking around, there were students who had obviously developed skills before starting the course and those who were still learning but the confidence they had that they would all achieve the desired outcome before the night was over was especially satisfying. There was a real buzz in the room. Living legend ( that will cost you Leo!) Leo Gerrets was in command but seemed to be able to merely suggest rather than demand what should happen next. What a fabulous experience for young people embarking on a career in management. Really top shelf food and a thoroughly worthwhile management experience.

Chris Bailey and the 'Chocolico'

Advanced Diploma student Chris Bailey is a study of poise and concentration as he assembles his cocktail creation the the "Chocolico" which he describes as a smooth creamy and subtle vanilla, hazelnut and chocolate cocktail served in a tall glass. Part of Chris's finesse involves the way he has incorporated a swirl of chocolate to decorate the inner surface of the glass. Does anyone know his secret for this trick?