Hospitality Standards Institute (HSI) has set the goal of building talent in the hospitality industry.  HSI is offering sixteen scholarships to committed hospitality personnel who are either entering the industry or are looking to develop and expand their existing career.

Covering four different categories - dependent on industry experience and role - the Hospitality Standards Institute's Career Scholarships programme is open to personnel across all sectors of the industry, from those in small business, to those in large. They are also available to those training the stars of the future, and the stars themselves.
 
Announcing the 2007 initiative, HSI chief executive Steve Hanrahan said the Career Scholarships programme reflected an enormous investment in growing talent in the hospitality industry.

"Our role as the ITO is to provide the opportunity and the access to training in order to grow the talent of those working in, or wanting to work in, the hospitality industry," Mr Hanrahan said.

"We see the Scholarships as a substantial way that we can provide this access, and help to facilitate the success of individuals, businesses and the industry as a whole".
 
The four HSI Career Scholarships categories are.....

Future Star
This scholarship is open to school students in Year 12/13 who intend to pursue a career in hospitality in either cookery or food and beverage. The scholarship will be the provision of an HSI Modern Apprenticeship in either of these pathways with all costs, including uniform and tools, provided by HSI. The successful student must take up the scholarship at the beginning of 2008 upon completion of school requirements. HSI will provide assistance in
sourcing a suitable employer to host the student if one is not already available. There are three apprenticeships available:

Scholarship amount: $3000 plus GST (all fees), plus chef jacket/apron, and knife set/bar set (dependent on pathway selected)

Teacher/Tutor/Assessor
This scholarship is open to any teacher, tutor or assessor teaching and assessing in the field of hospitality. The scholarship amount should contribute towards furthering a technical skill in hospitality, or in hospitality education practice. This must be proven to benefit the teacher/tutor/assessor, their workplace, and their future learners. No other proposals will be considered. To be eligible, the teacher/tutor/assessor should be employed in a training establishment, and the assessor engaged in workplace assessment. All applicants should be teaching/assessing in the hospitality field to NZQA unit standards, and should have no outstanding compliance issues. There are three scholarships available:

 Scholarship amount:  $2,500 plus GST

Employee
This scholarship is open to all employees currently employed in a hospitality outlet. The aim is to provide financial assistance for an employee wanting to develop a specific skill to a higher level as required by their job.  Successful applicants will have demonstrated a clear commitment to the hospitality industry, and will provide a letter of support from their current employer. There are five scholarships available:

 Scholarship amount:  $5000 plus GST

Outward Bound Leadership Development Scholarship
This scholarship consists of an 8 day leadership course with Outward Bound NZ. It is open to anyone employed in a supervisory or management role within an hospitality environment who wishes to develop their leadership skills. 30% of the course is based in a classroom environment developing management skills, and 70% in the outdoors putting newly learned skills to practice. There are five scholarships available:

Scholarship amount:  $3825 (includes GST) plus return travel to Picton

Applications for the HSI Career Scholarships are currently open. The closing date for all applications is 25th May 2007. Application forms for all scholarship categories can be downloaded from the Hospitality Standards Institute website - www.hsi.co.nz.  Alternatively, copies can be ordered from the HSI support centre, telephone 0800 ASK 4 HSI (0800 275 4474).