Jessica Birse
Jessica Birse
Diploma in Hospitality Management
With a desire to build a career in the hospitality industry, Jessica Birse knew the best place to start was at CPIT's School of Food and Hospitality. She chose to study the Diploma in Hospitality Management to give her a deeper knowledge of the industry.
"The School of Food and Hospitality at CPIT has a fantastic reputation both due to the quality of training offered and also as a great place to study. After finishing 7th form at high school I went straight to CPIT to study the Certificate in Professional Restaurant Wine and Bar Service. Once I had completed that certificate, I decided to start into the two year diploma in order to get a higher qualification in the industry.
"The practical hands-on work we carried out at CPIT was fantastic - it gave you a real understanding of how restaurant kitchens and bars work. We also covered the financial aspect of the hospitality industry such as food and beverage management. The strength of the CPIT course is that all aspects of hospitality are covered - from restaurant service, to bar work, to accommodation as well as key subjects such as marketing, human resources and IT.
"All the tutors in the School of Food and Hospitality have so much experience and knowledge to share. The teaching style is relaxed, the tutors are very approachable and input from everyone in the class is encouraged. One major bonus is that the tutors have strong links with people in the industry, which means we were told about job opportunities regularly.
"Students at CPIT's School of Food and Hospitality are also given the chance to compete in events such as the Salon Culinaire and the NZ Culinary Fare. At this year's Salon Culinaire, I entered four competitions - Junior Barista, Classic Cocktails, Table Setting and Food and Beverage Service. I received three gold medals, one bronze and another gold for the overall title of South Island Junior Waiter of the Year 2004. I also won the Junior Barista Gold at the NZ Culinary Fare this year. It was such a great achievement and I felt really lucky to have been able to compete at that level thanks to the skills I've gained at CPIT.
"I now work at Harbour 71, the top restaurant in Akaroa, as a waiter and barista. My work involves serving guests at the restaurant and I have to deal with a wide range of people - from Akaroa locals, to national and international tourists. I actually found out about the job through my old programme leader at CPIT. He knew the owners of the restaurant were looking for summer staff last year and suggested I get in contact. I'm now back for my second summer and plan to stay working here for another year."