PE trainees set for success
Hospitality school five score jobs at leading hotel
AGROUP of five Port Elizabeth hospitality students are set for a life-changing experience after being offered job opportunities at a five-star Cape Town hotel. The five, who completed their one-year hospitality course at the Ray Mhlaba Skills Centre, leave for the Mother City tomorrow.
Sesethu Cetywayo, 21, Siphamadla Hlebo, 23, Nobathembu Mtirara, 25, Aviwe Mnika 24, and Nolusindiso Zaze, 26, hope to flourish in the industry at a leading hotel in the Cape.
This is the centre’s second batch of students to be given this opportunity after eight were selected by Cape Town recruitment agency Ethical Services managing director Andrew Brown last year.
Hlebo, originally from Kwazakhele but living in Wells Estate, said he was excited to be chosen as, after matriculating from James Jolobe High School in 2011, he had no money to further his studies.
Following part-time jobs over the intervening years, he joined the centre in January this year after speaking to a friend about it. Now he has ambitions of becoming a chef.
“I am so grateful to the centre for this last year. I have learnt so much from them, like how to act in a professional manner, how to motivate yourself and stay motivated, and most importantly, how to set goals for yourself and keep working to achieve them,” Hlebo said.
Thandile None, 19, who graduated from the centre last year, was in the first group of students to get a job and won the hotel’s “employee of the month” award last month.
She said she was proud of the achievement.
“It has changed my life for the better, because I am independent, something I learnt while I was out here, and I also learnt that nothing comes easily, and that to get what you want, you have to work for it,” None said.
She encouraged this year’s crop to remain steadfast, dedicated and concentrate on the duties assigned to them.
Project coordinator Caroline Ferreira expressed her pride at the students’ perseverance.
Ferreira said the course equipped students to handle a variety of competencies once they go out into the working world.
“All I want is that more people can read this article, look at the work we do, and come and enrol with us,” Ferreira said.
The five were among 33 students enrolled in the centre’s professional cookery course this year.
Ferreira said once they had completed the theory, they had to complete a practical on site at either the Conyngham Coffee Shop, Tata Madiba Conferencing Centre or the Radisson Blu Hotel in Summerstrand.
“I always tell them, you are now going to Cape Town, you are going to promote PE, it’s not only about gaining employment but also promoting PE and the Eastern Cape,” Ferreira said.
Brown said he had returned to the centre due to the positive experience they had with last year’s group.
He also said they were scheduled to start job training next week.
“The Ray Mhlaba [Skills] Centre focuses a lot on people skills.
“I deal with similar NGOs who try to push through the numbers, but at Ray Mhlaba, they really focus on grooming students for the workplace,” Brown said.
He also commended the group chosen last year and said they were doing well for themselves.
Meanwhile, the centre has been nominated for an Impumelelo Social Innovations Centre Award. It is the only entry from the Eastern Cape.