NSIA: Updates from Connect

NSIA’s Junior Chefs Feeding the French at the Rugby World Cup

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:23:00 +1300

NSIA’s Connect team was given the opportunity to find 46 skilled NSIA students to work at Kermadec restaurant at the Auckland City Viaduct during the 2011 Rugby World Cup!

During this time Kermadec would be hosting the French Rugby Team so they needed the extra hands! The students were asked to head down to Kermadec on a Saturday morning to be shown around their work for the next two months. The students had huge smiles on their faces as they realized how amazing this opportunity really was. Not only was the popular seafood restaurant an excellent environment to unleash their training skill set but that they would also be part of the third largest sporting event in the world.

Starting in August four students went into the kitchens every weekend to start the prep for the busy two months ahead. In September the hard work really began with 40 students working on a 24/7 roster in the busy kitchen. Comments from the Chefs at Kermadec reflected the skills of the students chosen to work “The students are really good! They are getting through the work faster than we thought they would” Says Head Chef Rob Richardson.

The students are gleaning a lot from the other chefs at Kermadec and are having a great time helping to feed the French team. They are all excited about the experience they are gaining so far at Kermadec and are very grateful for this amazing opportunity which they won’t be forgetting it any time soon!

Source: NSIA’s Junior Chefs Feeding the French at the Rugby World Cup

Eden Park Catering Event Stars

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:21:00 +1200

NSIA’s Connect team have been working hard on building a strong relationship with Eden Park Catering for the past 2 years. Connect is committed to finding NSIA students career building opportunities in the hospitality industry, and the Event Star Programme is a very good example of this. Earlier this year NSIA started with Rugby world cup fever, inviting the Auckland Blues Rugby Team for lunch at the NSIA restaurant. All Black Luke McAlister was there and lucky NSIA students were invited to have lunch with the team.

The World cup is only a few months away, so 45 of NSIA’s talented students have successfully completed the Event Star Certificate Training which will allow them to work at the Rugby world cup stadium in September and October this year.

After doing the Event star course, students were invited to do a tour of Eden Park to see the facilities and sign contracts with Eden park Catering. The students were all very excited and are really looking forward to this event.

Eden Park requires 1800 staff for this year’s event which is the third biggest sporting event in the world. 85 000 visitors are expected to travel to New Zealand over September and October for the world cup, and 60 00 of which will be watching each of the 11 games and the opening ceremony at Eden Park LIVE!

This is a fantastic opportunity for NSIA’s Students to be involved in New Zealand culture and the hospitality industry at the same time!

HR manager Maria Syme and her team from Eden Park Catering were on hand to talk the students through where they would be working, and what was required of them over this year’s Rugby World Cup at Eden Park in September 2011. Maria said “NSIA students will have the opportunity to work with experienced chefs in kitchen and retail areas around the stadium”.

NSIA’s Connect team will work hard to ensure that Students will still work at Eden Park Stadium after the world cup, for sporting events such as rugby, cricket, league and Soccer matches in the future.

Source: Eden Park Catering Event Stars

NSIA Opens Doors to Industry

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:48:00 +1200

On the 17th of June the Academy hosted representatives from hospitality industry at the annual Industry Open Day.

A number of international hotel Human Resource Mangers were given the opportunity to view the modern facilities nearing completion at the newly created NSIA Campus located at 100 Symonds Street Auckland. Representatives from the ACCOR group, Heritage Hotels and Stamford Plaza were given tours of the NSIA Tower and then were coordinated for interviews with the graduating Hotel, Hospitality Management NSIA candidates.

This event gave all interested NSIA graduates the unique opportunity to discuss employment options with the industry leaders in their chosen field. A number of NSIA students made use of the opportunity to discuss university degree pathways with the programme leader of the Bachelor of International Hospitality Management offered at AUT in Auckland. This is a career option that NSIA has developed with the university to aid students in building a strong academic foundation for their future employment in the hospitality industry.

After the Industry Open Day event a number of graduating students have been selected by the represented hotels and will continue individually with the HR managers through the hotel’s internal staff selection process.

This Event was facilitated by NSIA’s student employment and career department called Connect. This department creates multiple avenues through their long term relationships with the industry by which the hospitality trainees can access job opportunities in the local industry whether hotels, restaurants, catering companies or cafes. Connect works with the candidates throughout their time at the Academy to apply for part and full time roles in the food and beverage industry.

Students talk to the employers face to face.

Students had interviews.

Student talked to employers.

Source: NSIA Opens Doors to Industry

NSIA students building new careers at the Spencer on Byron Hotel

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:51:00 +1200

NSIA students are now able to do a 10-day work experience programme at the Spencer on Byron Hotel both in Front of House and in the kitchen as junior Chefs.

This programme allows students to develop a sense of urgency in a professional kitchen environment, and gives them an opportunity to put their classroom knowledge into practice.

Chef students will work along side experience industry professionals including Executive Chef Huw Thomas. Spencer on Byron is the only hotel in the north Shore, and has a 4 ½ star rating.

Front of House students will have the opportunity to work with Banquets manager Kai Zhao, who is a former NSIA student as well.

NSIA is proud to be working closely with the Spencer on Byron Hotel, and looks forward to helping many students build successful careers in the New Zealand hospitality industry.

Source: NSIA students building new careers at the Spencer on Byron Hotel

Work experience at Mercure Hotel, Auckland

Tue, 10 May 2011 12:14:00 +1200

North Shore International Academy has reached an agreement with Mercure Hotel Auckland, to provide work experience for our students.

NSIA’s Professional Cookery students that have excelled in their Studies will be rewarded by Connect, with the opportunity to work in the Hotels kitchens for over their final block of study. This work experience will give our students a taste of what it is really like working in a Hotels operational Kitchen.

The Chefs at Mercure will be working closely with our students, giving them the opportunity to learn something new every shift and put into practice what they have learnt at the academy.

Source: Work experience at Mercure Hotel, Auckland

Sale to a Career High

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:17:00 +1200

NSIA connect has introduced a work experience programme to our students to provide them with quality work experience at a high end fast paced restaurant.

Sale Street Executive Chef Nick Honeyman, is looking forward to working with NSIA’s motivated students, and will spend time with them teaching them skills and passing on his knowledge first hand.

This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to excel in an environment where they are exposed to contemporary New Zealand cuisine, and what better way to build their career then working and learning from one of Auckland’s best chefs!

Source: Sale to a Career High

Nitro Service by NSIA Students

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:00:00 +1300

On Saturday the 5th of February the American dare devil show ‘Nitro Circus’ performed at the North Harbour Stadium in Albany. Nitro cirus is an American stunt show that features BMX legends such as Travis Pastrana , Andy Bell and Special Guest Levi Sherwood who is a New Zealander! The Group performed in front of a massive crowd of 23,000 people on Saturday night, performing extreme stunts on BMX bikes, skateboards and even chilly bins!

8 NSIA students were lucky enough to get the opportunity to work at the event assisting with food and beverage and selling Tip Top ice cream in the stands and corporate VIP rooms. The students left the show with a once in a life time experience to put on their CV’s, and new skills that will be useful for them in the future. Over all it was an amazing night that the students will never forget.

Source: Nitro Service by NSIA Students

NSIA Chefs at Auckland’s Seafood festival 2011

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:21:00 +1300

NSIA chef tutors working alongside the New Zealand Chefs association and Auckland maritime Museum raised funds over the Auckland anniversary weekend for the Chefs association, Auckland branch.

Our NSIA Chefs assisted in the creation and serving of a rustic, local sourced seafood chowder with crisp crotons and seasonal corn fritters finished with smoked salmon, chilli jam and aioli.

The stall was highly successful with hundreds of fritters and chowders sold over the three day festival! Many of the products featured in the dishes were generously provided by supportive suppliers.

Thank you to the following sponsors for their support of the event:

Voyager Museum, AUT University, Skycity, Ellerslie Events Center, Unilever Foods Solutions, Sealord, Omega, Kingfisher, Copy Solutions, Pierres Miado Breads, Fresh Connections and MC Cain’s.

Below: Chefs association members serve up culinary delights over Auckland’s anniversary weekend, at the annual Seafood Festival on Auckland’s Viaduct.

NSIA Tutor Philip Nickson Clark and Runjeet Lakhaney with Members of the Chefs Association.

Source: NSIA Chefs at Auckland’s Seafood festival 2011

Work Placement Partnership with Langham Hotel

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:55:00 +1300

Langham Hotel

by Aaron Megchelse

The work experience programme established at The Langham Hotel Auckland is bearing fruit with the recent employment of a Hospitality-Hotel Management Student at the five star hotel’s SBF restaurant.

The Langham Hotel is uniquely situated in the heart of Auckland city and has a reputation for excellence and professionalism.

The partnership developed between the Academy and The Langham has been effective for producing students with relevant work experience that gives them the edge to gain jobs in the hotel or utilise it in other positions in the industry.

NSIA is actively seeking quality partnerships that help to foster professional hospitality staff for the greater industry needs.

Source: Work Placement Partnership with Langham Hotel

Internship Programme MOU signed with Spencer and Byron Hotel on 21.10.2010.

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 00:25:00 +1300

NSIA’s long term goal of working with the industry to provide staff that meet the demands of the industry.

The purpose of this MOU is to establish a partnership between NSIA and The Spencer on Byron Hotel whereby NSIA will provide professionally trained(or currently in training) students for a specified period of time to undergo part time work in a guided internship programme detailed in this agreement.

In addition, NSIA and EEC may in time form a working group to jointly explore and identify other areas for mutual cooperation.

Contact staff at Connect

Sabra Kellas

Career Service Consultant

Tel 442 3456 ext 202

Email:sabra@nsia.ac.nz

Source: Internship Programme MOU signed with Spencer and Byron Hotel on 21.10.2010.