Commerce Comment June/July 2012 - Nelson Tasman Chamber of ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Students put their Hospitality on Show Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology’s training restaurant – The Rata Room gives students the chance to showcase their hospitality skills and the public fine dining at a reduced cost. NMIT’s Programme Area Leader for Hospitality and Wellbeing Mark Bruce-Miller says the Rata Room’s primary aim is to provide a realistic environment to prepare students for careers in hospitality. “It’s NMIT’s way of showcasing the work of our trainee chefs and restaurant, wine and bar students and giving them hands-on experience under the guidance of NMIT tutors,” Mark says. “It’s also a chance for the public to support local students by giving them some work experience, while trying something new and having a fantastic meal for a fraction of the price you’d pay elsewhere.” The restaurant is served by year one students studying NMIT’s Hospitality and Cookery programmes. Second year hospitality students are on hand as sous chefs and mentors. All cooking is under the guidance of a fully-qualified head chef. One of the students’ first big functions for the year was to prepare a graduation dinner on 29 March for 23 Swedish students who have been studying cultural tourism at NMIT. Certificate in Cookery students in the classroom The Rata Room Restaurant - NMIT’s Hospitality and Cookery Training Restaurant The restaurant and its menu evolves through seminars run by suppliers and partners, as the year depending on what students well as master classes with visiting chefs are learning. Meals start as casual, buffet and seasonal activities based around food style lunches and dinners and progress to and wine. Winemakers Seifried Estates restaurant service and fine dining later in the and Kaimira Estate Wines have sponsored year as the students gain more experience the restaurant, and their wines will be and their skills and knowledge improves. showcased through various wine courses. Mark says the highlight of the year for diners Mark says the Rata Room may be a training and students is the degustation dinners restaurant but the meals prepared by the which are hosted by a local guest chef and students are of a very high standard. wine expert, and include around six courses “I can hand on heart say that the Rata Room matched to local wines. offers some of the best food in the Nelson “NMIT’s hospitality and cookery students region. If you haven’t tried it yet – you need experience the full spectrum of dining and to,” Mark says. “The feedback from the cooking styles and techniques during their majority of people who’ve been here before training,” Mark says. “The training restaurant is that the food is fantastic and well above is an excellent way for students to apply what they would have expected from a their skills and knowledge and to prepare training restaurant.” them for work in a professional kitchen and Opening hours are: dining environment.” Wednesday – Lunch, 12pm onwards The Rata Room has been operating at Wednesday – Dinner, 6pm onwards NMIT for several years but only out of its Thursday – Dinner, 6pm onwards current premises in the new Hospitality and Wellbeing building for three years. Future plans for the Rata Room include more community interaction with workshops and See nmit.ac.nz or or call 0800 422 733 for for more information See nmit.ac.nzSee nmit.ac.nz or call 0800 422 or 733 call 0800 422 733 for more information more information COME AND JOIN OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK PAGE, SEARCH NMIT COME AND JOIN OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK PAGE, SEARCH NMIT
NMIT Brings the World to Nelson Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology is helping bring an international flavour to our businesses and wider community through its students. More than 500 international students study at NMIT each year from countries as diverse as Sweden, Germany, China, India and throughout the Pacific Islands. NMIT helps prepare those students for work through work experience opportunities, unpaid internships or part-time jobs in local businesses and organisations. Many students go on to full-time work locally once they graduate. Recent research conducted by NMIT showed international students who come to the top of the South Island have a huge impact on the local economy - spending over $21.5 million in the region during 2010 alone. However, NMIT Chief Executive Tony Gray says international students contribute more to our region than just economic benefits. “They bring a richness of cultural diversity, knowledge and experience to our communities while they’re here, which we should neither underestimate nor undervalue.” Among those students is second year NMIT Bachelor of Nursing student Wen Ting Hu who, in between her study, works as a caregiver at the Wood Retirement Village and at a Chinese Restaurant in Nelson. “I love to help people,” she says. Wood Retirement Village offers placements to New Zealand and international trainee nurses studying the Bachelor of Nursing degree and Certificate in Contemporary New Zealand Nursing Practice at NMIT. The company’s manager Correne Berryman says it takes a special person to be a caregiver. “You have got to have a kind caring attitude to do this job,” she says. “I find that international students are very dedicated workers, very motivated and very reliable.” She says the students have added an important dimension to the village. “We have enjoyed having international students working here. They fit in very well and become part of the family.” Ms Hu has worked at the Wood Retirement Village for more than a year and has found it a rewarding and worthwhile experience. “It also helps to improve my English and helps me understand different cultures as well. I love working in the rest home and being with (the residents) and looking after them.” Arun Kumar is another international student making a positive difference in Nelson. Mr Kumar graduated from NMIT’s Diploma in Information Technology and now works as a programmer and analyst at Nelson Bays Primary Health (NBPH) helping looking after the IT side of the organisation. NBPH’s Information Systems coordinator Nathan Bell says Mr Kumar was selected for the job based on his attitude and expertise – the fact he came from another country was irrelevant. “We took the best candidate and that was Arun, it wasn’t important where that person came from. We weren’t specifically looking for a New Zealander or non-New Zealander – we just wanted the best fit for the role.” Mr Kumar says the most difficult part of being a foreign student working in Nelson is the language barrier. “Students should focus on their English before they come to New Zealand. My NMIT graduate Arun Kumar who is employed as a Programmer/Analyst at Nelson Bays Primary Health English isn’t top level but it’s good enough to communicate and make them understand what I’m trying to say.” NMIT works closely with New Zealand Settlement Support to ensure newcomers settle into the region and feel welcome here. Nelson Tasman Settlement Support advisor Sonny Alesana says the agency works to connect international students with potential employers and provides on-going support where needed. “We’ve been able to connect with employers around using the skills of our international students in the local market,” he says. “New Zealand Settlement Support plays an important role in ensuring these students have a positive experience while they are studying and working in our region.” See nmit.ac.nz or call 0800 422 733 for more information See nmit.ac.nz or call 0800 422 733 for more information COME AND JOIN OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK PAGE, SEARCH NMIT COME AND JOIN OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, TWITTER AND FACEBOOK PAGE, SEARCH NMIT
Page 1 and 2: Commerce Comment To advance busines
Page 3 and 4: Proposed Tax Simplifications for Sm
Page 5: Finalists for the 2012 Nelson Mail
Page 9 and 10: of change? Terry Shubkin, CEO of Yo
Page 11 and 12: meet the members PwC PwC provides c
Page 13 and 14: New 2012 CRV. By Honda It's arrived
Page 15 and 16: BNZ Business View Understanding the

Commerce Comment June/July 2012 - Nelson Tasman Chamber of ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?