New hospitality school sets up in Rotorua

The New Zealand School of Tourism is excited to share its Rotorua campus with NZMA. Pictured are tutor Conny Meier (left) and campus manager Keryn OBrien. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER

There is a lack of skilled workers in one of Rotorua's fastest-growing industries, but a new tertiary institute setting up in the city hopes to change that.

New Zealand Management Academies (NZMA), one of the country's largest private tertiary institutes, is opening its doors in Rotorua next month, giving local teens the chance to launch careers in the hospitality industry.

NZMA will deliver free hospitality training for 16 to 19-year-olds under the Youth Guarantee scheme.

Students will graduate with NCEA Vocational Pathway: Service Industries Level 2, and from there be able to move on to NZMA's Certificate in Hospitality Level 3, which launches in Rotorua in July.

NZMA regional manager for Manukau, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Monique Le Marque said locals keen to study hospitality would benefit from the school.

"There will also be a growth in international student numbers which will benefit the Rotorua economy."

The free Level 2 course takes six months to complete and covers everything from barista training, customer service and making non-alcoholic beverages, to baking, food costing and tourism.

The newly-launched programmes will be delivered from the New Zealand School of Tourism campus in Pukaki St.

Both institutes are owned by Academic Colleges Group (ACG).

"Rotorua is a top tourism destination for New Zealand and the hospitality industry is very much a part of this. The foundation programmes NZMA will be delivering in Rotorua for 2017 are just the beginning.

"Longer term we will be looking to offer our full suite of hospitality and hotel management programmes Levels 2 to Level 7," Ms Le Marque said.

New Zealand School of Tourism Rotorua campus manager Keryn O'Brien said she was "super excited" by the venture.

"Both hospitality and tourism go hand in hand. We've been thinking and talking about it since October last year. A new hospitality school in Rotorua will be a huge benefit to students, giving them another string to their bow."

Millennium Hotel Rotorua operations manager Michele Weston said the hospitality industry was in constant need of staff at an entry level.

"There is definitely a high demand and the international intake would cater for the Asian tourism market which is still growing in Rotorua."

Brew Craft Beer Pub co-owner Paul Croucher said the school sounded like a positive move.

"We do need more opportunities to upskill our hospitality workers, I like the sound of it.

"Having more trained hospitality workers can only be a good thing and the more investment in Rotorua, the better."

For more information go to the NZMA website, www.nzma.ac.nz.