ITI Articles

Students and staff at the Pacific International Hotel Management School are still buzzing after being part of the largest outside catering operation undertaken in New Zealand—serving around 24,000 corporate guests at the Hamilton 400 V8 Supercars event.

The group of 220 travelled from New Plymouth to Hamilton and worked the three long days of the V8 event assisting the official event caterer, Montana Catering, as food and beverage attendants, bartenders, chef and kitchen hands.

The students were serving guests at the exclusive corporate villas and the syndicated corporate hospitality clubs, which were located at the most exciting parts of the racetrack, so the students were very close to the V8 action.

PIHMS Principal, Flora Gilkison says it was an enormous logistical undertaking for the school but well worth the effort.

 “It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to be part of such a huge, exciting event and to put their training at PIHMS into practice in the real world,” says Flora.
 
“I hope that students will look back at their experience at the V8s as one of the highlights of their time at PIHMS.” 

“The students worked long hours and were tired but they also had a lot of fun.  The students were accommodated in two holiday camps near Hamilton where they were able to relax and party. It gave all of us a real chance to get to know each other, something not always easy when you mix 18 cultures together,” says Flora.

“I was really proud of our students and impressed by their commitment, work ethic, behaviour and their ability to step up and do the job and do it well in circumstances that were new, different and challenging.”

“It is hoped that this won’t be a one-off event for PIHMS, as Montana Catering has the contract for the V8 racing event for the next 7 years.  I’m sure everyone involved will already be sitting down to come up with ways to make it even better next year.”

Back on campus now, the students are reflecting on what they experienced working at the V8 event to help them complete some curriculum assessment.  The staff is already seeing students understand and apply learning outcomes more easily and it’s only the second day back.

The Pacific International Hotel Management School offers students internationally recognised hospitality management undergraduate, bachelor degree and postgraduate qualifications while studying in a simulated hotel environment.  Students live in New Zealand’s only fully residential hotel school where as both a hotel guest and student they learn to operate the various departments of a hotel and the associated business aspects of the hospitality industry. PIHMS courses in hotel management include paid industry placement in leading hotels throughout New Zealand and overseas, providing invaluable work experience to prepare them for an exciting and rewarding career.