education
20 minutes with . . . GLENN FULCHER EIT
Glenn Fulcher, Head of the School of Tourism and Hospitality at Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), originally trained as a chef through the New Zealand Defence Force, Army and loved almost every minute of it. Working within kitchens, field exercises and deployments overseas gave Fulcher the bug for all different catering challenges.
“I
worked for a while in restaurants and out catering venues in Auckland where I continued enjoying passing on to others (and still learning loads myself) what I had learnt over the years.” After picking up a part time teaching role at MIT in Auckland, Fulcher got hooked on teaching the next generation of skilled professionals. “Working within a training provider opened my eyes to teaching a very diverse group of people. Some with major learning difficulties and others with years of disengagement from not fitting in the school system box. I so enjoyed moulding minds and trying to make a difference.” An opportunity presented itself for Fulcher to work in the world of Industry Training Organisations (ITO’s), an opportunity he saw as a great way to help evolve the then National Qualifications, work closer with industry and further develop the apprenticeship system. Fulcher then moved into a role with City & Guilds of London Institute. It was time to learn about global qualification systems and why not learn of the best, an institute with over 140 years’ experience. “I had an absolute blast, travelled the world and ended up as Regional Manager for Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. The job had it all, from helping countries build their qualification
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systems to leading change in the suite of hospitality qualifications. I had to look after so many areas I sometimes wondered what the next meeting would bring.” However, as with all travel, time away becomes a cost to family life and with two young children, and the changing landscape of City & Guilds, Fulcher felt it was time to look for another opportunity closer to home. “A role popped up at EIT, the role was Head of School for Tourism, Hospitality and English Language with campuses in Hawkes Bay, Tairāwhiti and Auckland. Although it seemed, at the time, a step back into a world I had left, the EIT HOS role has so many challenges (exciting ones) from staff management, running part time restaurants and cafes, academic requirements through to being a small part of each learner’s journey,” commented Fulcher. “I didn’t realise it to start with, but being closer to each learner’s experience is something I had missed for many years and was so excited to be part of again.” While EIT offers the usual range of Hospitality and Catering Training, from New Zealand Certificates through to advanced Diplomas, over the last few years the EIT team have developed a world class offering as one of New Zealand’s Category One providers (this is the top category the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, NZQA, give out to only the best NZ
Training Providers). Innovation is what sets EIT apart from other training facilities, the school works with both local stakeholders from Industry along with learners to grow and adapt its programmes to ensure key skills are met, and more importantly the learners engage. Students can work on local Marae and take advantage of ‘in work’ learning at local restaurants and cafes with EIT’s offerings ranging from Cookery, Food & Beverage through to Barista, LCQ and the newly launched Plant Based Cooking Programme. “In the past few years the plantbased movement has grown and we started to get a few enquiries whether a vegetarian could complete the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery level 4,” explained Fulcher. “We pondered this for a bit and agreed that it was impossible due to the range we have to cover. Sure, you can learn to cook meat protein but if you do not want to eat it, you will never formulate the ability to cook textures correctly or season and respect flavour combinations. “We were very lucky to have a member of the team who is very passionate about farm to plate, Chef Earl, our resident plant-based expert. He has an amazing organic garden and over many years has worked in plant based restaurants, and although loves a good steak, he has learned so many amazing ways to cook with vegetables, nuts and grains. So, we agreed it was time to let him free and show off his other skills.” As a result, EIT unleashed Chef Earl on a Training Scheme, which is 20 credits, funded partially by the government. The challenge was to come up with a leading edge and exciting programme to challenge home cooks and chefs with all things plant-based. Students train one day a week for 23 weeks with an additional two lessons building a Plant Based Degustation dinner open to the public. “Our goal is simple, excite people about vegetables and all things plant based. We need to change the way we eat, not only for sustainability and our crazed global meat demand, but for our health. The local community has gone gangbusters on the plant-based degustation dinner and we have now released a second stream of classes
which have just sold out.” Training and up-skilling in the hospitality and foodservice industries is more important now than it has even been, with the global COVID pandemic and resulting closed borders creating a lack of overseas skilled workers coming into the country. “Our world has changed and how we operate as businesses will be a rollercoaster for years to come,” expressed Fulcher. “The time is now to invest more in staff training. We need to up-skill our current staff and invest in future staff and we need to find a way to recruit and interest the younger generation to our industry. Through in-work learning from Apprenticeships through to Part Time Study (which EIT is offering for the first time in 2021 as a day release, part time study option), training is a clear way to start building the future.” This year, with the struggles the industry is facing, EIT wanted to break down as many barriers as it could for qualified chefs within New Zealand to look at further up-skilling opportunities. EIT is offering 10 industry scholarships to study for FREE in 2021 if the candidate has already achieved level 4 (or equivalent). “We have places left and would be keen to talk to anyone to see if we can make it work!” Fulcher’s advice to anyone thinking about starting their hospitality journey this year is that you have to love what you do. “Cooking and serving is about sharing. You share your love for food whether it’s through cooking it, or serving it. Yes, you do work hard every time you walk through the door but the satisfaction of a great service, whatever type of establishment you are in, is worth so much. My advice to anyone starting off is always be a sponge, absorb as much as you can,” he noted. “Hospitality is a career that can take you across the world and give you skills that are so much more than just trade based. It is a job to love and it will consume you in ways that drive you for perfection.” For more information about the courses offered at EIT or their 2021 Level 5 Scholarships, visit www.eit. ac.nz
