By KATRINA BRANDON
SERVING ‘A Cup of Hospitality Course’ to locals who want to upskill their CV, Gippsland Trades and Labour Council (GTLC) recently completed its sixth hospitality course.
GTLC celebrated 11 people who had just completed the course, which involved working through 26 different activities, including accredited training in Applied First Aid, Safe Food Handling, Responsible Service of Alcohol and Barista Basics.
In and out of classroom settings, the group was able to work through theory and practical work, such as supporting Rotary Morwell by making more than 700 sandwiches for the Eat Up Project.
The course aims to support individuals in pursuing employment in the hospitality industry, enabling them to expand their skills and knowledge and feel more confident and empowered.
“The course was really good. I really enjoyed it,” participant Chloe Galbraith said.
“The teachers were really nice. They helped us and understood that if you didn’t get anything, they would help you if you needed help”
From young locals to new locals, the course welcomed all participants.
GTLC Community Project Officer, Kellie Bertrand said that in this group of graduates, multiple people from different backgrounds and “corners of the world” participated.
“To our young people, you’ve been curious and taken your first step towards a pathway to something new, and that is something to be very proud of,” she told the group.
“To our amazing ladies from all corners of the world, you’ve shown incredible strength and adaptability; we are so grateful for the warmth of your traditions that you shared with us. Your multicultural backgrounds are a powerful asset.”
While overcoming language barriers was a challenge during the course, student Huyen Hoang told the Express she enjoyed the course.
In her previous experience, Ms Hoang had already worked in hospitality, but said the course helped her learn more and gain confidence in what she was doing.
“We learned a lot of knowledge through the course, and we didn’t expect that,” she said.
“We had a party today for the graduation ceremony, and we also had a chance to make sandwiches for students, which we helped make 700 sandwiches for. We enjoyed doing that.
“I feel this course is very good, because I learned a lot even though I was a barista before, where I was trained on the job, but this is a chance for me to ask a question to the teacher from my experience, and I learned more about the barista job.
“I have more confidence now to work in any place.”
Both Ms Galbraith and Ms Hoang said the course also allowed them to meet new people and gain more friends within the community.
As of March 31, 2025, there had been 186 employment outcomes resulting directly from the programs GTLC has delivered.
