EventStarNZ

The Rugby World Cup (RWC) in September and October 2011 is going to generate a large although temporary increase in the demand for trained hospitality workers. People will need to have both basic and specific skills to work in the context of a big international event. Such workers will be critical to the success of the RWC 2011 and to the experience the estimated 80,000 visitors to New Zealand have during their stay.

In response to this demand, the Hospitality Standards Institute has been working with Rugby NZ 2011, industry groups and training providers – the RWC 2011 Hospitality Steering Group - since 2008 to develop specific stadium hospitality training. The result is a short, tailored programme called EventStarNZ© which will give workers the skills they need in this environment. It is anticipated that over 10,000 staff will need to be trained to cover 5,000 jobs at the 13 RWC venues across the country. “We want to show that New Zealand can deliver great rugby, great times and great hospitality to meet the high expectations of visitors and locals,” says HSI CEO Steve Hanrahan.

EventStarNZ© is an induction training programme aimed at establishing core standards for the food services sector, a sector of the hospitality industry where it has long been difficult to recruit, train, and retain casual staff for large-scale events. The intensive programme will provide people with the opportunity to be involved in RWC 2011 events by being trained or up-skilled to deliver great service in a range of venue areas. The certified training will be available for on-job delivery by workplaces (In Source) or off-job delivery (Out Source) by Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics.

The programme includes the service sector’s KiaOraMai Essential Skills training programme, designed for employees working with visitors and customers. KiaOraMai was developed by the SITA group of ITOs and is offered in multiple service sectors. It links to unit standards on the National Qualifications Framework, offering a career path for employees and a common point for training in essential service skills.

EventStarNZ© has been specifically designed to help meet the temporary demand for skilled hospitality staff next year, at the biggest hospitality event ever hosted here, as well as create a more skilled workforce that can be drawn upon long after the Rugby World Cup is over.

WEBSITE - www.hsi.co.nz