Seven Gold Coast youths are on their way to becoming future MasterChefs after kick-starting their culinary arts apprenticeships at Jupiters Hotel and Casino recently, with five previously completing a school-based work experience program hosted at the property.
With future demand for hospitality workers set to grow across South East Queensland (SEQ), the school-based work experience program was offered by Jupiters’ parent company, The Star Entertainment Group, in conjunction with the Department of Education and Training.
A total of 100 Year 11 and Year 12 students from 18 Gold Coast schools took part in the program.
Following completion, Year 12 participants received the opportunity to apply for the culinary arts apprenticeships with Jupiters Hotel and Casino.
The training component of these apprenticeships is being delivered through the new Queensland Hotel and Hospitality School, which was launched in partnership between The Star Entertainment Group and TAFE Queensland earlier this year.
The Star Entertainment Group Managing Director Queensland Geoff Hogg said the apprenticeships are part of a broader goal to help create the state’s next generation of hospitality workers.
“We’re working hard to ensure Queensland meets future demand driven by strong inbound international tourism,” Hogg said.
“At The Star, our business is growing with our three billion dollar Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development alone expecting to generate an additional 1.39 million tourists to the state by the time it opens in 2022.
“This development will create more than 8000 jobs in Queensland once operational with further jobs to be generated from our $345 million dollar transformation of Jupiters, featuring a new six-star hotel tower.”
Hogg said the school-based work experience program provides students with work experience across five commercial cookery work areas: hot production, cook chill / in-room dining, pastry, events, and restaurant.
“I’m thrilled for the apprentices who have started at Jupiters with five of them receiving the opportunity following completion of the school-based work experience program,” Hogg said.
“All seven apprentices successfully secured their apprenticeship with The Star Entertainment Group, which means their training will be with the region’s new flagship six-star Queensland Hotel and Hospitality School.
“We will also host the same school-based work experience program for Brisbane school students at our Treasury Casino and Hotel.
“Similarly, at the end of the program, we will offer the Year 12 Brisbane participants the opportunity to apply for culinary arts apprenticeships with Treasury and be trained through the Queensland Hotel and Hospitality School.
“This School aims to deliver graduates who will be job-ready for five and six-star hotels and the region’s finest restaurants, lifting the quality of the entire industry in SEQ.
“It is already starting to deliver six-star International Hospitality Service Programs with further programs planned for development in 2016.
“We will expand our school-based work experience program at both our SEQ properties to offer front of house experience in the future, so that it will continue to act as a pathway into our apprenticeships with training offered by the Queensland Hotel and Hospitality School,” Hogg said.