Wintec News

STUDENTS RARING TO GO AT RUGBY WORLD CUP

Posted On: Monday, 05 September 2011

The spotlight will be on New Zealand during the Rugby World Cup and Wintec’s event management students are ready to shine.

All 10 of Wintec’s event management students have secured volunteer roles in Hamilton for the tournament. The students – who are halfway through a Graduate Diploma in Practical Event Management – will be looking after VIPs, monitoring the fanzone at the Waikato Stadium, working alongside media and in accreditation.

Student and rugby fan, Michael Low-Schuemperli, is excited about his role as a VIP Host where he is expected to deliver VIPS a uniquely Kiwi experience at a high international standard. For three weeks he will assist VIP guests at Hamilton Airport, in their hotels, at VIP functions and work as a host in the VIP Lounge at Waikato Stadium.

Michael says “I see the Rugby World Cup as an opportunity to be part of a once in a life time event. I’m looking forward to being a part of a great team and representing New Zealand in such a unique way.”

Wintec is also involved in training hospitality staff to work at Rugby World Cup events for Montana Catering – Waikato Stadium’s catering provider.

An EventStarNZ© hospitality training programme focused on major events was jointly developed by institutes of technology and polytechnics, the Hospitality Standards Institute, in-stadia caterers, and a national steering group led by Rugby World Cup 2011.

The programme was created to ensure that New Zealand has enough trained hospitality staff for the Rugby World Cup matches. Since May this year, 555 participants have been trained in a range of venue areas including hospitality, kitchen, retail and bar.

Hamilton is hosting three Rugby World Cup pool matches: All Blacks vs Japan on September 16, Wales vs Samoa on September 18 and Wales vs Fiji on October 2.