New tourism training college opens | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

The opening of a new tertiary education provider in Rotorua is being welcomed by the local tourism industry.

Sir George Seymour College, which specialises in airline, travel and tourism training, is the sixth of its kind in the country, but the first outside the major cities.

Rotorua Sir George Seymour campus manager Marcel Tuuta said the city was an ideal location because of the tourism market. "We really only could choose between Rotorua or Queenstown, other cities we have schools in simply have high populations."

He said the Government helped financially support the college in Rotorua because of their performance in other areas.

"What makes us different from other tertiary providers is our students must complete the course with a 95 per cent attendance rate."

Mr Tuuta said students who did not attend could not formally graduate or go on trips offered during the course.

He said the college was not competing with other tertiary educators.

"Waiariki is a great institute and we are not competing with them. The reason being is, we are only a tourism school, we are specialised in what we do."

He said all tutors at the college had extensive experience in the industry.

Destination Rotorua marketing general manager Oscar Nathan said the new college was good for Rotorua's tourism industry and an influx of students did not mean a bottle-neck effect for jobs.

"It will mean good competition for the tourism market here.

"The challenges for the educators is still making sure the conduit between the employer and student is close."

He said the tourism industry had a high turnover of jobs, so he expected the school to be well received.

"Hopefully, they can expect to see employers approaching the students for jobs in the industry."

Agrodome customer services manager Dale McCourt said there was room for the students to gain work experience and possible employment at the company.

"It's a good thing for tourism in Rotorua.

"We possibly would look to employ, certainly we can offer work experience if they approach us, we already do similar work with Waiariki."

The first class in Rotorua started last week, with a full class of 20 and two more classes will begin by mid-March to cap off the school's first year in town.

Sir George Seymour College national sales and marketing executive Angie McKain said they started looking to open the school in Rotorua last November.

The school will be meeting over the next three months in the Convention Centre on Fenton Street, while their school building is being built on Pukaki St.