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Meet the Team: Courtney
With over 15 years of hospitality experience, Courtney is looking forward to helping the next generation find their feet and build sustainable careers in the industry.
Courtney has recently joined CTA’s team as our newest Training Specialist. She is excited to transferring her knowledge of the industry into new and exciting contexts, nurturing the skills of her future students. Her go-getter attitude and love for the industry continuously drives her practice.
Catching up with Courtney
Tell me a bit about yourself.
Of course! I have worked in the hospitality industry for 15+ years, with a background in food and beverage operations at hotels. In my last three years, I became really drawn to the training side of things. Primarily, I have been interested in fostering and nurturing new people entering businesses and the hospitality industry overall.
That is me professionally! On the personal side, I am a mum of 2 little ones!
What most excites you about starting as a trainer?
Hospitality has been such an important part of my life. It is more than just a job. I just can’t wait to ignite that passion in the next group of people. I love to see people gain new skills and pursue fulfilling careers. That’s what I’m most excited for.
You can only eat one type of food for the rest of your life. What food would that be?
This is a very important question! My husband is a chef, so he would judge me big time by what I say. Look, I love pasta. So, it would be any kind of pasta. It is so versatile!
What has been your favorite thing about the hospitality industry?
Actually, the hospitality industry was never a plan for me. I got into the industry when I was studying to pay my way through university. After around 2 years of my degree, I decided that I was enjoying my part time job more than my full-time study. I then decided to concentrate on building a career for myself in the hospitality industry. Hospitality is so enjoyable to me; I really have a good time when I’m working in a team. It’s so dynamic, incredibly fast-paced and allows you to use multiple facets of yourself – you can be really personable and build strong relationships! The skills are also transferable. I have travelled the world in this industry, met my husband in this industry, and all of my best friends work in this industry. It’s a great place to be in.
What would you consider to me your hospitality superpower?
Hmm… I’m really really good at resolving customer complaints. That is probably my top skill! I can win over the dissatisfied customer.
How would you describe the future of hospitality in Australia?
That’s a very good question. Right now, I think that it’s an exciting time for the hospitality industry. It is changing in terms of COVID – everyone is starting to look at the world a little bit differently. Technology is also updating, with hospitality really starting to incorporate it into our industry.
Now is the perfect time to foster the next generation of people coming in and remind them that they can build a career. There is a lot of growth in the industry. People are always going to want to go out to eat. People are always going to want to have those experiences and now, more than ever, is an exciting opportunity to get into this industry.