November 5, 2013

MEDIA RELEASE FROM QUEENSTOWN RESORT COLLEGE

Advisors learn about careers in tourism

Queenstown Resort College will next week show careers advisors from around New Zealand that tourism is a serious vocation.

The tertiary education provider will host the official welcome ceremony for the annual Careers And Transition Education (CATE) Conference, to be held in Queenstown on November 13-15, 2013. It plans to give the 550 CATE delegates a taste of what it’s like to work in tourism and hospitality at an action-packed welcome ceremony at the AJ Hackett Bungy Centre on November 13.

The three-day conference, held at Queenstown’s Millennium Hotel, features keynote speakers deputy Prime Minister Bill English, television personality and clinical psychologist Nigel Latta, and former Education Minister, now Massey University Vice Chancellor, Steve Maharey – but Queenstown Resort College’s chief executive Charlie Phillips has an equally-serious message.

He wants careers advisors and transitions consultants to recommend to youths and school leavers that studying tourism and hospitality can forge successful, long-term careers.

“Tourism has suffered as an industry under the false impression that tourism provides jobs while you figure out what you want to do. Our message is that tourism is a serious career option,” he says.

“With tourism being New Zealand’s second-largest export, employing one-in-10 New Zealanders and contributing $23.5 billion to the economy, it is a career of the future,” he says.

“Depth and quality is the major issue within the workforce. If influencers of youth had a greater awareness of the career opportunities, then a greater quality of employee will enter the industry. And a greater quality of employee will result in businesses being better-managed – greater efficiencies and, in turn, greater career opportunities.”

Queenstown Resort College offers Diplomas in Hospitality Management and Adventure Tourism Management. Graduates are scattered across the globe – with many now working as restaurant managers, events coordinators, marketing communications account managers, marketing assistants, jump operators, guides, duty managers and owner-operators.

About Queenstown Resort College

Queenstown Resort College is a unique, privately-owned tertiary education provider that offers world-class diplomas in hospitality management, adventure tourism management, executive education, customised programmes and short courses. Working with experienced industry practitioners, graduates end up equipped with the skills and qualifications to progress in career pathways in a competitive, challenging and exciting global industry.

ENDS

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