EC2 - September 2014 EC2 - September 2014 | Page 9

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SKiLLS & tRaDe

tRaininG Gap LeaDS to SKiLLS Gap
A skills gap in the number of people
who are ready, willing, and able to work
in the nation’s restaurants and eateries
hasn’t been helped by a delay in the
introduction of new training courses,
says one industry player.
Marisa Bidois, CEO of the
Restaurant Association, claims a
shortage of industry-approved training
courses has contributed to a lack of
skilled people to work in restaurants.
“There are many options, and ways
to get into the industry,” she says. “But
with front of house people our members

Jared Svedlund completed a two anda-half-year course at MIT and is now
head waiter at the award-winning The
French Café. Pictures / Ted Baghurst

Jared to work front of house. Creghan says
the restaurant can’t grow without highly
trained people.
“But we genuinely want to give something back to the industry,” she says. “We
had a lot of senior staff, so we wanted to
help a young person into the industry who
we could teach, train and take under our
wing. We put a lot of effort into our staff
and provide all forms of training.”
Creghan says there are not enough
people taking up industry-training to keep
up with demand, and that has forced the
restaurant to hire half its staff from abroad.
“We try to recruit locally, but have had
to sponsor a few people to move to new
Zealand because we can’t find people who
have qualifications in hospitality and who
are passionate about their jobs,” she says.
“it seems a lot of local people have
trained for a career they really don’t want
to do. We need people who have a passion
and a love for the industry. As far as we can
see there is a shortage of people across all
levels of the industry.
“Work ethics also seem to have changed,
and it seems too many people think working
in hospitality is one long party. But at our
restaurant a large amount of knowledge
and ongoing study is required.”
Creghan says a gap in training, particularly with the food & beverage apprenticeship being put on hold since 2012, is “disappointing”.
“it is a real shame the apprenticeship course

are currently experiencing a shortage
of skilled wor