STUDENTS studying hospitality at James Sheahan Catholic High School have valuable experience under their belts.
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The Year 11 students gained first-hand experience plating up and waiting on tables at the recent 150th anniversary dinner for the Catholic Parish of Orange.
Teacher Jane Edwards said the school was always looking for opportunities for students to transfer the skills they had learnt into realistic workplace situations.
Kasi Tarr says she decided to study the hospitality subject to increase her changes of getting a job during a planned gap year after year 12.
Fellow student Caitlin Hargreaves said she chose hospitality to give her an additional life skill.
"When I go to uni it will be really good to have that experience so I can work part time,” she said.
Mrs Edwards said she prepared the students for the reality of working under tight deadlines.
"But I just didn't think we would have to work so fast," Kasi said.
"I've really only watched one of the reality TV shows about cooking so I didn't realise how quickly we would have to work.”
Mrs Edwards said students who worked at the dinner also clocked up community service hours by donating their wages to the school’s support of humanitarian projects in Sri Lanka.
"I believe it is really important, when it comes to community service, the students do it in their own time, because it is then truly contributing to the community,” she said.
"So we are always looking for opportunities for students to do this type of work in the community.”
Guests at the dinner congratulated the students for their efforts on the night with a round of applause.
janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au