Students learn the ropes at INC

Five students from Brighton Secondary School are relishing the opportunity to participate in work experience at Inclusive Café at Minda Brighton.

SA Group Enterprises Commercial Manager, HR Operations and WHS, Tracy Biddiss-Scott, says Ryan, Ellias, Abdulhay, Connor and Kaiser are excited about the opportunity to experience working in the café for two hours a day, one day a week, for four weeks.

Ryan was the first student to start in the café and he was smiles all round, being buddied up with our barista Marcello.

Ellias says he is really excited about the opportunity to learn the ropes with café staff Hayley and Jade.

“Given we have such young and vibrant staff at the café, this has certainly assisted the students to settle in,” Tracy says.

“This four-week introduction of work experience at the café is allowing the students to see if hospitality is where their interests lie.”

Tracy says the students – who are in years 9 to 11 – can use their work experience to explore vocational avenues while at school, and can gain a real insight into what it’s like working in the hospitality world. She says the four-week work experience was planned around each student’s current subjects and appointments, with all students participating in their weekly two-hour placement.

“We are open to hosting longer than the four weeks for students who want to continue their placement at INC Café. Also, we aim to identify some of the students from this group to potentially have access to a two-year traineeship,” she says.

“Our ultimate aim is to offer these types of opportunities for students to participate in work experience across all our Commercial Enterprises and provide support to students who are interested in pursuing a career. We just need to make sure we place students in areas where they can gain valuable insight and learn about the fundamentals of a particular job or work environment.”

Brighton High School Support Officer Rebecca Baily says the school is so appreciative of the opportunity Inclusive Cafe is offering the students. She says the changes have been remarkable.