Hospitality training program delivers

The ServeIT program is the latest innovative training program for the hospitality industry.

It has been set up in Northern Rivers and there are already big expectations that it will help local eateries find the talent to be there in what’s always the busiest time of the year.

ETC's General Manager Training and Business Karen Busby said the new ServeIT program has been designed for efficient results. It has been created, she says, to quickly equip aspiring hospitality workers with the right skills and meet the urgent need to find talented staff.

"We hear all the time that hospitality employers are crying out for good quality staff with the right skills and attitude,” Ms Busby told Northern Star.

"Our new ServeIT hospitality industry program is all about matching our aspiring hospitality heroes with employers who are the best fit for one another.”

The program puts all the participants through a week of theory where they pick up all the licensing requirements and basic customer skills and knowledge.

With that know-how in hand, they are then required to spend an additional two weeks in the industry.

Ms Busby says ETC already has hospitality training programs but ServeIT is unique.

“It's responding quickly to employers who need staff now and not when the peak Christmas and holiday period is over,” she told Northern Star.

She says all the businesses in the area are enthusiastic about the new program.

"We've had a great response so far from local employers and are inviting more employers to come on board as our industry partners,” Ms Busby told Northern Star.

General Manager of Novotel Pacific Bay Resort Dene Zahner concurred.

He particularly like the way the program could train staff the "Novotel” way.

"I really like that we get exposed to a group of people who are interested in working in our industry. We get to train them our way and at the end of the day pick out those who we feel are most suitable to meet our needs,” Mr Zahner told Northern Star.