The Latest

Queenstown Resort College (QRC) is investing in the future of tertiary education in the Southern Lakes region by creating a centralised accommodation base for its students.

QRC has purchased Queenstown Lodge, a former hotel in the suburb of Fernhill, and plans to turn it into a 61-room Halls of Residence called ‘QRC Lodge’ in time for its January 2010 intake.

The major financial investment future-proofs the college’s infrastructure needs and marks the first step in its long term vision of establishing a student campus in Queenstown.

QRC has spent more than a year searching for the right site to accommodate its students.  Up until now it has leased apartments around the town.

QRC CEO Charlie Phillips says owning accommodation means the college has control over its intake numbers and can service demand.

“We’re committed to Queenstown as an education destination and a serious place for study.  Having our own accommodation will be a real drawcard in attracting national and international students and will mean we’ll be comparable to any other tertiary education institution in New Zealand.  The site also has excellent potential for future development in terms of our long term vision to create a campus.”

Mr Phillips says the Lodge provides the opportunity to create a training ground for the college’s hospitality students. 

“We have a strong emphasis on practical learning so we’re turning the kitchen into a training kitchen and will simulate real life hotel management scenarios,” he says.

QRC Lodge will have full time managers on site and each wing will be managed by students selected as ‘residential assistants’.

Rent will be comparable to other halls of residence around New Zealand.  All rooms are ensuite and meals will be included in the price.  Students will be provided with breakfast seven days a week and dinner five nights a week and can use the community kitchen to prepare other meals.

“Our aim is to provide our students with reasonably priced convenient accommodation in a safe and comfortable environment.  Queenstown Lodge is close to town, has a regular bus service and great facilities.  It already has a tennis court and we’ll also be installing a gym to encourage our students to get active in their free time. 

“Promoting a healthy lifestyle is part of the culture of the college.  We find attitude ties into results so we’re working to build a culture of students who are serious about working hard, enjoy being active in the environment and who respect their surroundings.  We believe they’ll take that philosophy with them when they go out into the workplace.”

QRC opened in 2006 with nine students and has increased its capacity to 160 this year.  Mr Phillips expects numbers to increase to approximately 250 students in 2010.

Queenstown Resort College offers diplomas in Hospitality Management and Adventure Tourism Management, personal and leadership development courses, and customised programmes.

The future is looking bright for recent Queenstown Resort College (QRC) graduate Kate James who’s just landed a job at Ziptrek, one of Queenstown’s newest and most exciting adventure tourism operations.

With a two-year Diploma in Adventure Tourism Management under her belt, Kate is now working behind the scenes to help launch Ziptrek in Queenstown this summer.  The flying fox-type eco adventure is already popular overseas and Queenstown will be its first New Zealand operation.

It was Kate’s passion for the adventure tourism industry which led her to study at Queenstown Resort College.

“Queenstown’s such a fantastic place – if you’re going to study adventure tourism anywhere then it should definitely be in the adventure capital of the world!  I wanted to build a career in the industry and QRC’s diploma offered the perfect combination of practical and management skills.”

Taught by experienced industry practitioners, the diploma aims to develop successful future adventure tourism managers by blending business management and leadership skills with hands-on adventure education and a nine-month fully paid internship with an adventure tourism company.

Kate’s internship was with Queenstown Sea Kayaks and as the company’s Administration Manager she was exposed to all aspects of the company’s operation.

“I got to see how everything was done firsthand and the theory and business management paper I learnt in class were far more valuable and relevant to the industry than I ever imagined,” she says.

Kate’s final six months of study comprised business papers like Business Development & Strategy, Managerial Accounting, and the Tourism Law & Resource Management Act - all imperative to what Kate believes will make her a successful manager.

“There’s no way I would have been considered for this role without my QRC qualification,” Kate says.  “I’ve hit the ground running and now I’m working for a dynamic international company that I see a great future with.”