Training facility serves up new skills

Broome’s skills shortage in hospitality work could be solved thanks to a new training facility for people intending to work in the local industry.

The Kimberley Training Institute officially opened The Pearler’s Shed last week, a restaurant designed to give hospitality students hands-on experience and prepare them for the work industry.

A host of Broome hospitality and business representatives attended the opening to get a glimpse of the new venue while networking with KTI staff and students.

Nestled in the heart of Chinatown, the restaurant features a commercial kitchen and newlyfitted bar area to provide a real life working environment for students.

The facility will provide a comprehensive program covering all aspects of hospitality from commercial cooking to front of house operations. KTI creative and communication services manager Lee Anderson said the need to establish a hospitality venue had been a long term vision, and it was wonderful to see the project finally come to fruition.

Last year, the project took off when funding was approved by the Department of Training and Workforce Development, allowing KTI to find a suitable restaurant – formerly the Madura Pearl, on Dampier Terrace and then have it transformed into the Pearler’s Shed.

KTI hospitality lecturer Daniel Pethick said the new venue would boost training and the learning environment for students and also address the need for more local hospitality professionals in the long term.

“We can now operate twentyfour-seven in the right setting in the middle of the industry,” he said.

Cable Beach Club Resort general manager Ron Sedon said the facility would create more opportunities for people looking to work in the sector.

WA’s “most feared” food critic Rob Broadfield also supported the opening of the new venue after last year describing Broome as having a “deficiency” of hospitality professionals.

Mr Broadfield said the facility would provide an opportunity to retain professionals by offering locally-based training.