The final phase of the regional Country Hospitality project will take place over the next few weeks, as the focus turns from training to showcasing hospitality employment opportunities across the Lower North.

A team of Clare High students, led by teacher Dan Bradley, will soon take to the streets of Clare and nearby locations to commence work on a promotional DVD which will feature local hospitality businesses and their staff.

“This year’s Country Hospitality project has been organised in three distinct phases,” Barossa Lower North Futures project manager David Hutchinson said.

“Phase 1 from March to May involved over 50 regional participants undergoing training in up to eight different modules of hospitality/tourism, which included units such as coffee making, gaming, alcohol service and the like.”

Phase 2 occurred last month and involved 35 students from four regional schools visiting six local hospitality locations (Bentley’s Hotel, Clare Country Club, Valleys Lifestyles Centre, Salt n’Vines, Sevenhill Cellars and the Riesling Trail and Clare Valley Cottages).

Phase three planning consists of the production of the DVD, but also participants in the project will have the opportunity to visit several large Adelaide hospitality centres to further their awareness of employment opportunities in the industry.

“We anticipate that the DVD will showcase a variety of different regional hospitality/tourism businesses, and contain interviews with staff etc concerning employment conditions, and opportunities. The DVD will be designed to be used in local schools by careers teachers, but we also envision having copies available to the council, libraries, visitor information and other interested organisations,” Mr Hutchinson added.

Project participants interested in going on the bus tour to hospitality sites in Adelaide are advised to register their possible interest with Barossa Lower North Futures (0423 783 843) by not later than Wednesday, July 16.

Mr Hutchinson added that such a trip would occur sometime in August, but the actual date would depend on which date suited the majority of interested persons.

Clive Thomson, TAFESA Education Campus manager for Clare, indicated that TAFE was more than happy to facilitate the training modules from Clare.

“We are always looking for opportunities to deliver tailor-made courses here in Clare, rather than always have residents drive to campuses which in many cases may be 90km away,” Mr Thomson commented.

The Country Hospitality Project has been another example of a regional program significantly funded by the Mid North Regional Development Board through its SA Works funding.

It is one of a variety of local programs it supports as part of regional workforce development.