Over the past few weeks students have been working on their CV’s so that they’re ready to apply for jobs once they have completed their course at Passmores’.  However, experience has taught the staff at Passmores’ that getting called in for an interview is only the first step – to secure the job you need to impress in the interview.  That is why, for the last couple of weeks, Passmores’ Office Administration Course Students have been put through their paces with mock interviews and impromptu questions.

The Office Administration Course students are encouraged to think about the types of questions that they may be asked in an interview and to have ready concise, relevant answers with real life examples.  Statements like, ‘I have excellent interpersonal skills’, are pretty hollow if they can’t be backed up with an example. 

To help the students learn to cope in an interview situation they are given a mock job description which they then interview for in front of the class.  The Office Administration Course students are assessed by teachers in terms of how they conduct themselves, how they answer questions and how they respond to the unexpected.  The students find the feedback from these sessions invaluable and respond well to suggestions on how to improve their interview techniques.

Of course, it is also vital that the students make an excellent initial first impression.  To prepare students for this, they complete a professional development course which educates them in the areas of grooming, attire, conversation and body language.

Once again, as employees start contacting the college requiring graduates for vacancies, we are pleased to be able to send through students who are well prepared for an interview.

Posted by passmores on September 19th, 2011
Management Courses
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Night-time visit of the Melbourne Gaol

Students from Passmores’ Business College had the pleasure of experiencing one of Melbourne’s most haunted buildings on a recent excursion to Melbourne. Visiting the Old Melbourne Gaol on a cold winters evening, the Business College students were shown through the iconic landmark in an entertaining and chilling way with their guide illustrating what life was like for some of Australia’s most notorious villains.
Newcastle Hospitality course students were surprised to learn about the Gaols most famous prisoner Ned Kelly and his final moments as he uttered the legendary words “such is life” before being executed. As the Business College students made their way through the historical gaol they were shown stone walled cells that were decorated with replicas of the equipment that were used during the gaols peak in the early 19th century. When students were asked whether they enjoyed the tour, one quipped that they thought it was going to be a lot more frightening but overall they enjoyed the theatrics of the tour.
The tour served a great purpose for students as it allowed them the opportunity to experience one of Melbourne’s greatest tourist attractions whilst also helping them to understand key aspects of the tourism course curriculum studied within the Newcastle Hospitality Course at Passmores’ Business College. Most of the students agreed that the Old Melbourne Gaol tour was a valuable experience and that they would recommend the tour for future Hospitality Course students and for anyone who has an interest in experiencing one of Melbourne’s most historical buildings in a unique and entertaining way.

by student, Trudie Corrie

Posted by student on September 19th, 2011
Business College News, Hospitality Courses
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