RACV Club Excursion
At the end of July, the Year 12 VET Hospitality students ventured into the heart of the CBD and spent the day at the RACV club.
The RACV Club located in Bourke Street and is a member exclusive venue that is home to accommodation, dining, lifestyle and recreational facilities for their members use. Most people believe that the RACV is a company that comes to assist at the roadside when we have a flat tyre or a flat battery. The RACV club is widely recognised within the hospitality industry as one of the best venues in Victoria.
The purpose of the excursion was to showcase to the students the wide variety of job opportunities that the hospitality industry has to offer. It is not just an industry of chef and wait staff.
After two years of constant lockdowns the hospitality industry was dramatically affected in the way they could operate. Many businesses did not survive unless they were entrepreneurial in their operations. The RACV went above and beyond. They have opened two new spaces that are both are outside dining and accessible to the general public not just RACV members
We began the day by being greeted by the Executive Chef Jason, along with a group of 25 students from other colleges, we ventured in and around the entire club. We visited the many dining options they have which range from a French inspired patisserie which serves Baguettes and cakes, to the private wine cellar dining rooms, the dining rooms where all current and past state premiers and prime minsters dine regularly. We also visited the many kitchen spaces, the members areas which include - large scale billiard table hall, Olympic swimming pools, gyms and an even a library.
We stopped for lunch, we dined at the new space created by the RACV club post lockdown called Sojurn. This is a venue which is located in Chancery laneway. We enjoyed a 6-course degustation lunch. The students were fully engaged and given many new flavours and foods to experience.
Jason explained to us that the RACV philosophy is to have the customer have an experience when they dine at the RACV club that involves more than just the senses, we were able to experience this firsthand.
Following on from our long lunch we wandered around more of the RACV club, Penola students were very keen to find out how they could gain employment within the club. As the tour came to a close, we posed questions around gaining employment and the process was explained.
Since we have returned to the college, is it most pleasing to say that RACV club has offered both our students’ apprenticeships. They will commence these at the start of 2023. They must first complete their respective Year 12 VCE and VCAL certificates, in term 4 they will also commence a placement program to commence the working relationship with the RACV club.
