Students from Riverside High School will celebrate the completion of the Gastronomy Gateway Program with a Graduation Afternoon Tea on Tuesday the 7th of July at Fermentas HQ Legana. They will be able to showcase the skills, knowledge and culinary creations they have developed throughout the program.
The afternoon tea will feature a showcase of the students’ learning journey, with family members, industry partners and stakeholders invited to experience some of the products created by the students while celebrating their achievements.
Delivered throughout Term 2, the Gastronomy Gateway Program provided students with a unique opportunity to explore careers in hospitality, food production and tourism through a combination of accredited and non-accredited training, hands on workshops, industry visits and career development activities.
Throughout the program, students completed nationally recognised hospitality training, including Food Safety and Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA), as well as a non-accreted Espresso Essentials course all delivered at Drysdale Tafe. They participated in industry masterclasses, visited leading Tasmanian food businesses, gained practical experience in food preparation and fermentation, and received career coaching to help prepare them for future employment opportunities.
The program connected students directly with local industry, giving them valuable insight into a range of hospitality and food production careers while building practical skills and confidence in real-world settings.
One student said the program had strengthened both their confidence and abilities in their current workplace:
“The program has helped me gain more skills and confidence in the job I already have. My employer wanted me to complete my RSA, but I was nervous about doing it at first. Being able to complete it alongside my friends made the whole experience much less intimidating and helped me feel more comfortable. Now I feel much more confident in my role and better prepared for future opportunities in hospitality.”
Another student said the hands-on learning had provided valuable experience that would benefit them throughout their career:
“I already work in fast food, but this program has taught me a lot of new skills that will help me in future jobs. I really enjoyed getting to make different foods and seeing how everything works behind the scenes. The hands-on experience gave me a much better understanding of the hospitality industry. It’s helped build my confidence, expanded my practical skills, and given me experience that I’ll be able to carry with me throughout my career.”
A participating business also praised the initiative and the opportunity to work with local students:
“It was a pleasure to welcome the students into our business and share what we do every day. Programs like this give young people valuable insight into our industry while allowing businesses to connect with the next generation of workers. It was wonderful to introduce the students to our products, share our passion for local food, and build relationships that we hope will continue well into the future. Supporting programs like Gastronomy Gateway helps strengthen the connection between education, industry and our local community.”
BBAMZ CEO Susie Bower noted that BBAMZ’s NEBHub team have done a great job working with students and local businesses to develop these gastronomy pathways: “We need skilled people across all our industries, and you can’t be what you can’t see.”
The Gastronomy Gateway Program demonstrates the value of partnerships between education providers and local industry, creating meaningful pathways for young people to develop workplace ready skills while showcasing the strength of Tasmania’s hospitality and food sectors.
The Graduation Afternoon Tea will conclude the program by celebrating the students’ achievements and the partnerships that made the initiative possible.
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