V8s Enhance PIHMS Reputation with Corporates - May 2009

130 students travelled to Hamilton for the 3 day event, working front of house in a range of corporate hospitality areas.

PIHMS’ V8 event co-ordinator, Trevor Todd says the official V8 caterer, Montana Catering was thrilled with the standard of work put in by PIHMS students and are happy to have PIHMS involved for the remaining 5 years of their V8 contract.

“At the site meeting at the end of each day, PIHMS was a talking point amongst the stakeholders, including Montana Catering, the V8 Supercar management and the Hamilton City Council, and it was always positive.  In addition, I received many compliments about PIHMS students from the corporate guests.  One corporate group even emailed to personally compliment PIHMS student, Sally Change who gave them excellent service.”

He says two Semester 5 students who worked as Team Leaders at the event so impressed Montana Catering Managing Director Peter Stark that they have been invited to discuss a management traineeship with the company following their graduation from PIHMS.

Unlike last year, this time all PIHMS students were accommodated at one site, a Christian camp at Ngarawahia.  Mr Todd says for logistical reasons such as transportation and communication this arrangement was a vast improvement on last year.

A special agreement with the local RSA (Returned Servicemen’s Association) was reached to allow PIHMS students to socialise at the RSA Clubrooms in the evenings.  This was a win-win situation as the students were able to take advantage of cheap drinks and the RSA were happy to host PIHMS students  just before Anzac Day.