7 March 2006

Media Release

Embargoed to 8:00am Tuesday 7 March
Fantastic Support for Training Passport

Industry support for the HANZ Training Passport has been fantastic says Hospitality Association chief executive Bruce Robertson. To date 610 have registered and on current progress 1,300 will have participated by the end of June 2006.

These comments made as the first graduate of the HANZ Training Passport, Colin Mallon of The Malthouse Wellington, received the “passport” from the Minister for Tertiary Education, Hon Dr Michael Cullen at a breakfast function today. Click here to read Dr Cullen's speech.

Those who take advantage of the offer from HANZ can graduate with a “passport” testifying to their skills as a Licence Controller and also in Food Safety proficiency, Customer Service and Host Responsibility.

“The “passport” will be nationally recognised, so anyone with a view towards a future in the hospitality industry should enthusiastically complete one of these courses,” he said.

The passport training sessions are being delivered by the TREEHOUSE group and run for three days in 19 locations around the country, with extra sessions and opportunities in the bigger cities through until June.

The full details are:

- Licence Controller Qualification - 2 options
Option a) Unit Standards (4646 v5 & 16705 v2) $70
Option b) Transition Test for existing General Manager's Certificate Holders including half day refresher $70 (test only $35)

- Food Safety - Demonstrate a basic knowledge of contamination hazards and control methods used in a food business (20666) $35

- Customer Service (GreetNZ) - an innovative new customer service programme designed specifically for hospitality employees $35

- Host Responsibility for Frontline Staff - Ideal for up-skilling bar staff who are not at duty manager level but need the skills and knowledge to work successfully at the frontline of a licensed establishment (16705) $35

The road-shows are designed so that a single training module can be attended or a combination of any two of the modules or indeed all of them can be attended over the three day period.

HANZ members can attend themselves or send their staff to the modules relevant to each of them and the programme is available to non-members too.

“The subsidising of the programme means that an employee could achieve their Licence Controller Qualification, Food Safety Unit Standard 20666 and Customer Service (GreetNZ) for a total of $140 over three days and complete their HANZ Training Passport, and that's fantastic value,” says Bruce Robertson.

”HANZ is committed to delivering the best value attainable to its members while also assisting the industry to reach the highest standards possible in service, host responsibility and food safety”.

“We look forward to having as many members as achievable take advantage of this great opportunity,” he said.

For further information or comment:

Bruce Robertson
CEO
Hospitality Association of NZ.
Tel 04 385 1369 or 027 440 0650.
mail: bruce@hanz.org.nz