Applications Sought for Scholarship

Applications Sought for Scholarship
Opening Doors to the Hospitality Industry

A strategic partnership established in 2013 between the Ngati Whakaue Education Endowment Trust Board and Sudima Hotels & Resorts has heralded a hearty tick of approval from its first recipient, who completed a 12-month paid employment placement at Sudima Lake Rotorua and is now in his second year of a Hotel Management qualification at the University of Waikato. Applications are currently being called for this year’s annual Scholarship.

The most recent available statistics (2009) suggest that 48% of year 11 Māori students gained an NCEA qualification at typical level or above, compared to 69% of non-Māori. Joint ventures between local iwi and businesses to create scholarships and other programmes are vital to encouraging students into higher education across various fields.

The education endowment has been helping local descendants of Ngati Whakaue into secondary education since 1880. The inaugural Sudima Lake Rotorua scholarship recipient, Awatere Douglas, made a huge impact on the hotel’s team during his year-long tenure with the hotel.

Sudima Hotels & Resorts Director of Human Resources and a co-panel member in the judging of scholarship applicants, Maree Judd, says, “As the scholarship is aimed at school leavers, the main traits we look for in applicants are attitude, passion, drive and commitment – and Awatere brought these attributes in spades. Awatere is incredibly driven to succeed at management level in his chosen career path of hospitality.

“Although Awatere began with limited understanding of the workings of the hospitality industry, that quickly changed. He was consistently enthusiastic about his duties, which ranged from bed-making to cooking in the kitchen and working on the front desk, during his year-long tenure with us. A strong upbringing centred on respect and work ethic gave Awatere the foundation for success. We have every bit of faith in his future prospects and know that we’ll see more of him as he continues to advance in the industry.”

Of his scholarship, Awatere says this has given him an entire new set of skills and the opportunity to connect with the right people. “I am a family and iwi-oriented young man, so I’m also incredibly grateful for the opportunity this has provided me to represent my iwi, make my friends and family proud and make a name for myself.

“Looking back at my year-long employment at Sudima Lake Rotorua, I have really grown as an individual. Improving my people skills and working across all facets of the business has been an essential part of the mix. I’ve learned so much about the hotel industry and how all departments need to work well together for the business to succeed. I have also learned the need to be flexible and the importance of time management. My work at Sudima has given me an edge over my university peers who perhaps don’t have the same level of work experience as I now have.”

Awatere is studying a bachelor of tourism management majoring in hospitality, and a second major in te reo Māori. He encourages others to apply for the scholarship, through which he says the interview process itself was a great experience.

The scholarship programme with Sudima Hotels & Resorts and Ngati Whakaue Education Endowment Trust Board is open now to school leavers and young locals of Ngati Whakaue descent. It was established to encourage locals into leadership roles within the Hotel Industry in and around Rotorua & Bay of Plenty. It offers formal qualifications through the successful candidate’s chosen New Zealand-based tertiary institution as well as a paid 12 month placement with Sudima Lake Rotorua. The Tertiary study has a monetary value of up to $7,500, not including the opportunity for employment with Sudima Hotels & Resorts in the future post their study.

All applications are reviewed by a judging panel consisting of an Ngati Whakaue Education Endowment Trust Board representative; Sudima Hotels & Resorts’ Maree Judd and Atalo de la Rocha, (Sudima Lake Rotorua Hotel Manager); and Pauline Gray, the Student Relations Coordinator at the University of Waikato.

Applications for the 2016 round must be received by 26 March 2016. Application forms are available from the Sudima Hotels & Resorts website.

ENDS

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