Brenden Kitchener - Hospitality

The thing I most love about working in Hospitality is that every day is different, I meet and network with new people every day and it's equally as nice to see your regular customers.

I had worked at McDonalds for over 7 years, in which I completed a Certificate III in Retail and a Certificate IV in Frontline Management. I then progressed onto working with Abode Hotels in 2015, where I was offered to study a Certificate IV in Hospitality through CIT. Without having completed Year 12, I believed this was the best opportunity for me to further my study and acquire further qualifications for my career through this Traineeship pathway at CIT.

Whilst completing my Certificate IV in Hospitality, we met with our trainer once a fortnight to work on a new subject, and were given adequate timing to complete the necessary assessment items. My employer provided delegated hours where I was able to complete these tasks and dedicate to my studies, away from the reception desk.

Abode offered the relevant resources I needed in order to complete my Certificate, where I was easily able to manage my full time role whilst studying at CIT through this Traineeship. I was able to apply my learned knowledge through the course in my every day work at Abode, as the course was so relevant to industry. Since completing a Certificate IV in Hospitality, I have been promoted from Receptionist to Duty Manager at Abode Hotels.

After completion of my Certificate IV in Hospitality, I was much more confident in my job and was able to progress to this new promotion with confidence. I wanted to continue my studies and challenge myself in this industry, and have now begun a Diploma of Leadership and Management Skills. I am hopeful that this course allows for further opportunities down the track, with a goal of being Hotel Manager one day.

I would, and already have, absolutely recommend a Traineeship through CIT as an education pathway as it was so doable, relevant to industry and has encouraged me to further my studies and continue to work towards my career goals.