Kate Kinney

I spent 2 months working in a Summer camp which challenged me in a lot of ways and I have grown a lot from this experience. My role was to be a mentor, role model and support system for the children, 24 hours a day. I also assisted and lead various different activities for 4 periods a day. While this experience was constant and often tiring, I grew on my leadership skills and learnt the importance of teamwork.

• I have worked at the Maniototo Cafe on and off for the past 3 years. This was my first full time job, I began during my school holidays and then worked every weekend during my last year of school. When I finished school in November I began working full time until I moved to Australia in March 2023. This job was the perfect introduction into hospitality, it was a quieter cafe however I was still able to learn all the basic skills and build my confidence in hospitality. When I moved back to New Zealand at the end of 2024 I began working again and I have enjoyed reconnecting with the staff and we work really well as a team.

My role included assisting a wide range of events, from ushering concerts, helping out at conferences, waitressing special dinners and cocktail parties, ect. It was my job to make the experience as enjoyable as possible for the guests. This grew my existing love for engaging with new people and prioritising their experience.

My role here was a typical cafe Allrounder role in an extremely busy environment. The pressure of working in a busy environment meant my communication skills improved and teamwork became a priority. These are both skills that I value.

This role allowed me to grow on my customer service skills, it was my first job outside of my small hometown and I learnt a lot of valuable skills. I was incharge of placing staff in there areas for the shift, taking stock orders and dealing with customer difficulties as well as being a cafe Allrounder. This job taught me how to work efficiently as part of a team and gave me responsibilities which I enjoyed.

• This was a part time job where I filled in when I was needed but I was able to gain a lot of knowledge and skills. My job here was a waitress but I often gave a hand in the kitchen plating up meals, making pizzas and desserts.

• This was my first proper job where I worked in a hotel stripping and making beds each day, cleaning bathrooms, common areas and dining room in preparation for the next guests. I also would help out with the meal prep, dishes, laundry ect. This taught me how to carry out tasks to a high standard which is a quality I value.