Crafting Talent In Hospitality And Tourism With Micro-Credentials

“We shine the light on the best New Zealand has to offer in terms of fresh ingredients, transformed into outstanding cuisine, exceptional wines and beverages, our spectacular scenery captured by so many memorable tourism experiences, yet as nation, we still struggle to understand and tell this story”, comments Celia Hay, director of the New Zealand School of Food and Wine.

With NZQA approval for 13 micro-credentials, the New Zealand School Food and Wine hopes to inspire and attract new people to jobs in hospitality, wine and tourism and also enhance wider community understanding of our food and beverage story. “We export food and wine to the world, yet pride in this achievement is often lacking by our own communities,” say Hay.

Crisis

“There is a crisis right now because job-seekers, including school leavers, are being pushed into other industries especially the building trades. There is a perfect storm of government incentives paid to employers, along with negative counsel from career advisors and families warning young people off seeking careers in hospitality and tourism. This is resulting in a critical lack of workers.

“In developing this suite of short, part-time micro-credentials that range from classic cooking to food and beverage history to food costing and digital marketing, we are seeking to inspire people to dip their toes into our sector, even if they are currently working or studying elsewhere.

“In addition, these micro-credentials enable people already employed to develop new skills and craft new talents but also to signal that this career pathways is valid, diverse and on-going. Just look at our food heros, like Peter Gordon and Annabel Langbein, now in their 60s, with a tremendous backstory.

“From the various lockdowns, we know that people find joy in cooking and that people are curious to develop new talents in the kitchen; that wine and cocktails are cool and fun; that an important part of any tourism destination is the food and beverage offering whether as a winery cellar door experience or paddock to plate cuisine,” says Celia Hay

Online Options

Online study options are embedded in a many of the short programmes, enabling people from around the country to study about New Zealand wine or learn how to write an electronic newsletter or find out more about our food history.

“The micro-credentials are equally suitable for the consumer; the food and wine lover who just wants to learn more. In building broader community understanding and respect for the food and beverage culture of Aotearoa-New Zealand inevitably we will see more people attracted to work in our sector. That is the shared goal of these new programmes,” comments Celia Hay

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