Hotel mogul Jerry Schwartz will use Newcastle's Rydges Hotel as the initial headquarters for his newly established hospitality college.
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The temporary arrangements will allow the college to commence operating while the finishing touches are made to the school's permanent teaching facilities in the former Century Antiques building in Centenary Drive.
"Because it was a warehouse we are going to have to put an upgraded sprinkler system through the building," he said.
"We will start the college with a small intake next year and the classes will initially be in one of the hotel conference rooms."
Dr Schwartz, who is a shareholder in the private training venture, employs about 1200 people in the sectors across his three Hunter hotels - Hunter Valley Crowne Plaza, Rydges Newcastle and Newcastle Novotel.
The college will offer courses in hospitality, IT, spa therapy and brewing.
"It will allow me, as an employer, to tap into students during their training but also once they graduate," he said.
In addition to providing job-ready graduates, the college's diploma programs would serve as pathways to higher education opportunities.
A key feature of the college will be an in-house training brewery, that will also provide beer to a bar and function centre proposed for the ground floor of the Crossing apartment block in Merewether Street.
Dr Schwartz sold the land to Doma developments in 2018 under the arrangement that he would receive one of the block's commercial spaces upon completion.
"There will be great training opportunities for people in the school. Not only for food and beverage but also the cooking and the serving aspects," Dr Schwartz said.
"The brewery will allow people to see firsthand and participate in the making of the beer. The bar and function centre will give people another reason to visit the area."
A similar brewery operates at Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley.
Earlier this year Dr Schwartz met with the University of Newcastle to discuss details of how the training providers could complement each other.
"They have got lots of good ideas, for example, they want to do a wine appreciation and wine manufacturing course, which works brilliantly because it will expose people to the different vineyards in the Hunter region," he said.
"They also have a strong emphasis on on-the-job training.
"It's something I totally support because you don't want to just have theory and no practical experience. I'm keen to help facilitate those opportunities in my businesses."
Matthew Kelly
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
Matthew Kelly has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years. He has been working as a general reporter at the Newcastle Herald since 2018. In recent years he has reported on subjects including environment, energy, water security, manufacturing and higher education. He has previously covered issues including the health and environmental impacts of uncovered coal wagons in the Hunter Valley, the pollution of legacy of former industrial sites and freedom of information issues.
