Cooking up a storm: praise for work placement student of the year

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ork placement student of the year Kimberley Sepuloni has wanted to be a chef for quite a while.

So when the St Patricks College for Girls Campbelltown student landed a work placement spot at Wests Leagues Club she was determined to make every post a winner.

Her “boss’’ at Wests, group executive chef Graham Krueger, was effusive in his praise of Kimberley after she won the hospitality category and student of the year awards at the annual mwlp linking youth Student Work Placement Awards.

“Kimberley is the best student ever,’’ Mr Krueger said.

“In all the years we have been hosting students, she is definitely the best I have seen come through the mwlp work placement program.

“She is the most enthusiastic, competent, interested, motivated and all round fantastic student.

“She even ran the fryer section by herself and was able to hold her own with qualified chefs in their sections.

[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“She definitely has a job waiting for her.”[/social_quote]

Students were nominated by their host employers for being outstanding during their work placement.

These students are in Years 11 and 12 and undertaking vocational courses as part of their Higher School Certificate, where work placement is a mandatory requirement.

Some 500 hosts were asked to nominate their best students (from 6,000 candidates) and the results were outstanding.

Almost 200 guests attended the mwlp awards presentation last week at Bankstown Sports Club, where Kimberley Sepuloni took out the top award.

“I have known I want to be a chef for a few years and work placement opened my eyes to new opportunities,’’ she said.

“I loved my time at Wests Leagues Club – there was a sense of community and everyone was so helpful.

“I went with an open mind and was determined to do my best,’’ Kimberley said.

Her hospitality teacher and VET coordinator Maree Durrington also sang Kimberley’s praises.

“She is really passionate about hospitality and this is a wonderful opportunity that will open doors for her; her career is set.”

MWLP chief executive officer David Williams said of the awards night: “This is what vocational education and training is all about.

“Not only do the students reap the rewards from work placement and the connections they make with industry, employers are linked to the future workforce.

“It is a win win for everyone.”

 

WINNERS
Automotive	Joseph Ayoub	Southern Cross Catholic Vocational College	Goodyear Auto Care Bankstown
Business Services	Stephanie Lagos	Southern Cross Catholic Vocational College	Cablenet Technologies Group
Construction	Zachary Costlow	Elderslie High School	Offshore Carpentry Services
Electrotechnology	Daniel Minchenko	Trinity Grammar School	Peter Harrison Electrical
Entertainment	Ebony Kingston	Camden High School	United Cinemas Narellan
Hospitality (KO)	Kimberley Sepuloni	St Patrick’s College	Wests Leagues Club
Hospitality (F&B)	Thomas Newell	Trinity Grammar School	Swissotel Sydney
Human Services	Tyrah Rayment	Picton High School	RSL Life Care Queen Victoria Park
Information & Digital Technology	Zachary Bowling	Broughton Anglican College	Glenwood Public School
Metal and Engineering	Adam Salim	Eagle Vale High School	Sureflo Exhaust
Primary Industries	Hamish Capewell	St Gregory’s College	Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living
Retail Services	Isaiah Brown	Campbelltown Performing Arts High School	Best & Less Campbelltown Mall
Tourism & Events	Katie Ward	Georges River Grammar	Precedent Productions