Student Profiles
Emma Walker is one of QRC's inaugural intake of Diploma of Hospitality Management students who first arrived in April ’06.
At 19 years old, Diploma of Hospitality Management student, George Gaddum, has seen more of life than most people twice his age.
Graeme Sharpe, Zimbabwe, Adventure Tourism Management
From the wilds of Africa to the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Graeme Sharp has come a long way around the world to pursue his career. The 21 year old Zimbabwean has travelled to New Zealand to study the QRC Diploma of Adventure Tourism Management – and the change in lifestyle is proving as much as an educator as the classroom.
“I’ve had to learn to embrace change. Out here it’s really quite different to live in a country that has DoC and OSH etcetera. In New Zealand you can relax but at home you are always living in uncertainty. It’s difficult, and challenging, but at the same time, things
in Zimbabwe could always turn for the better and when that happens, it’ll be a great thing to see and be part of”.
The outdoors are in Graeme’s blood. From a farming family, he has grown up in and around game parks, filling his days with trekking, hunting, fishing, biking and camping.
Secondary school for Graeme was followed by a move to South Africa for a gap/ leadership development course, much like what is offered at QRC. A two year stint in London saw the then-teenager return to his roots in Zimbabwe where he started working as a site manager on a Crocodile Farm.
“You learn a lot in Africa when you have to deal with everyday living. I used to go off road riding on my bike as a way of escaping and just thinking things over. One day I just decided that this was what I wanted to make a career out of so I started looking into Adventure Education”.
A web search saw Graeme hit upon QRC. “I’m looking to take this education back to Africa but it depends upon a lot of factors that are out of my control. I’d love to set up a biking operation in the wilds of Zimbabwe and eventually some kind of long-haul bike safari from say, Kenya to Capetown”.
“The hands on experience here is really great – the other day we had a lecture from the operations manager for AJ Hackett and one from Dart River Safaris – all the subjects in the course are relevant to the career choice that most of us have taken”.
“Queenstown is a great place to get into the tourism industry – I want to do some years here and take what I learn back home”.
Former Rotorua Lakes High School student, Jacob McDonald, is the very-deserving recipient of QRC's 2007 National Scholarship.
Jehan Driver has been in the country just a few months and is already looking to stay as long as possible.
Joining the July ATM intake is 23 year old Swiss student, Makoto Bruderer.
"Being in Queenstown is great - it is the best place to learn with all the mountains and activities here".
Adam Tomlinson is the winner of the 2008 Diploma of Hospitality Management Scholarship.
Growing up in Nelson, 18 year old Nikolai Heaphy-Page has always been involved in the great outdoors.
