Australian Training Awards Magazine 2010 - Department of ...

The taste of success
Industrylink—Tasmania
Small Training Provider of the Year
The Small Training Provider of the Year award is presented to a
registered training organisation with fewer than 1500 enrolled students
for outstanding delivery of vocational education and training.
It’s not yet five years old, but Tasmanian
registered training provider Industrylink
is celebrating its second visit to the
Australian Training Awards with a
victory. With three state training awards
already under its belt, this success
can easily be put down to passion.
‘From the very beginning we wanted to
make a big difference to hospitality—the
attitudes, the perception people had about
the industry—and not just give the basic
skills and qualifications, but really treat it
as an industry and a profession,’ explains
Nicholas Platon, CEO of Industrylink.
‘Industrylink has by far been my greatest
challenge and biggest achievement—
now with 12 passionate professionals
we’re delivering to over 220 trainees and
apprentices. We believe in giving everyone
education and that they should not be
limited because of their level of privilege
or location. We even travel to the far west
coast of Tasmania to train just one student.’
It’s clear that Industrylink staff members
appreciate the importance of training—
so much so that many of them are
undertaking training—including the CEO.
‘I began my career with a Diploma
in Hospitality, and I’m currently
enrolled in my apprenticeship in
commercial cookery,’ Nicholas says.
‘I like to stand alongside my apprentices
to show them I don’t know everything
and I’m here to learn. We’ve also had an
administration officer do her apprenticeship
in cookery and our bookkeeper was
doing a Bachelor of Accounting.’
Whether they’re training in kitchen
operations, hospitality, commercial
cookery or patisserie, students are
gaining unique exposure to the hospitality
industry. In addition to experience in their
own workplaces, students gain skills in
Industrylink’s Baraki training bar—a fully
operational cocktail and tapas bar—and
its a la carte Kuzina training restaurant.
‘Kuzina is one of only two restaurants
in Tasmania to have gueridon service,
which is French for flambé, where food
is finished in front of the guests. It really
encourages apprentices to interact with
customers, and build their confidence, and
customers just love it,’ Nicholas says.
Australian Apprentices also enjoy field
trips to nearby primary producers,
where they get an understanding of the
process from paddock to plate. It’s also
an opportunity for third-year students
to plan for their final practical exam.
‘At the beginning of the year they’re given
work on menus and themes—this year
we’re doing gastronomy and using local
produce. Students do their own research
into the produce, and create the menu
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Australian Training Awards Magazine 2010