Hats off to future tourism leaders

Hats off to future tourism leaders

“World-class professionals ready to hit the ground running” is how Queenstown Resort College CEO Charlie Phillips describes students graduating this week from the award-winning education institution.

After two years of study in Queenstown, renowned as New Zealand’s premier tourist resort and the adventure capital of the world, the 49 students - 14 Adventure Tourism students and 35 Diploma of Hospitality students - will officially graduate this Friday (19 March). The ceremony will take place at Queenstown’s Heritage Hotel at 2pm.

Following the graduation ceremony, the students will attend a function at QRC Lodge, the College’s new Halls of Residence.

David Kennedy, General Manager of Ngai Tahu Tourism Southern Region and ex-Destination Queenstown CEO, will be official guest of honour, presenting each student with their diploma and giving the official Graduation Address

Mr Kennedy says he feels privileged to be asked to impart some words of wisdom to New Zealand’s next generation of tourism and hospitality leaders.

“Tourism is the biggest and fastest growing industry in the world and qualifications are becoming crucial in order to get ahead. Queenstown is internationally renowned for its wealth of tourism and hospitality infrastructure and QRC works closely with the industry to provide students ready to move straight into the workplace.

“We’ve had several of QRC’s Adventure Tourism Diploma students work for us at Shotover Jet and Dart River Jet Safaris and we’ve been really impressed with their high standard of professionalism, commitment and understanding of the tourism business.

“As they go out into the world as fully fledged alumni following their chosen career paths, they’ll have the full support of Queenstown’s tourism and hospitality operators and I have no doubt they’ll be outstanding ambassadors both for QRC and for Queenstown.”

QRC CEO Charlie Phillips is delighted with the calibre of the graduating students.

“After getting to know these students I feel confident in saying that New Zealand’s future in the adventure tourism and hospitality industries looks extremely bright with the wealth of very talented and motivated young people going out into the work force,” he says.

“They’re world class professionals ready to hit the ground running and I think they’ll really make a difference to our industry both here and overseas.”

Mr Phillips says the college and its courses are continuing to evolve in response to industry needs.

“As part of our partnership with NZSki, we’ve just launched the first Snowsports Business Management course in the Southern Hemisphere. We now offer New Zealand’s only Diploma of Adventure Tourism Management specialising in snowsports management, aimed at producing graduates who are not only passionate about the industry but who have strong business skills. As part of their diploma, students are guaranteed a work placement at Coronet Peak, The Remarkables or Mt Hutt for a winter season.”

The more generalised two-year Adventure Tourism Management diploma is also the only one of its kind in New Zealand. It develops successful future adventure tourism managers by blending business management and leadership skills with practical work experience and adventure education. As part of their diploma, every student receives six months of fully paid industry training with an adventure tourism business. Graduates can continue on to a Bachelor Degree at Thompson Rivers University in Canada.

Hospitality students also spend six to nine months working fully paid within the industry in Queenstown or around New Zealand. QRC delivers the Diploma of Hospitality Management in partnership with the International College of Management in Sydney (ICMS) and César Ritz Colleges, Switzerland. This international hotel management qualification opens the doors to higher study and exciting careers throughout the world.

For more information about QRC diplomas please visit www.queenstownresortcollege.com.

ENDS

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