SETN Success Story - Meet Angus
Angus landed his first job in hospitality at Steamhouse Cafe. What began as a chance to help out when the café changed hands quickly turned into a proper start. A year and a half on the floor as an all-rounder, taking orders, running food and drinks, jumping on dishes, making food and handling cash. It was busy, practical and what he needed to build confidence.
Around the same time, his girlfriend, Aleesha, enrolled in the SETN Hospitality Course through her High School. She came home buzzing about it and asked Gary from SETN whether Angus could join the next intake. That simple suggestion set the course for what came next.
Like a lot of people starting out, Angus found the paperwork side of job hunting the hardest bit. “Getting my resume into a format that looked formal but still appealing to businesses was tough,” he says. SETN stepped in straight away to help him create a clean, professional layout that lifted his chances at getting a new role.
From there, SETN kept the momentum going. They helped Angus enrol into the SETN Hospitality Bootcamp course that helped Angus to get the essential tickets that make a difference behind the bar and on the floor including First Aid, Espresso Essentials, RSA and a course in difficult communications. They also lined up a work placement at the Kingston Hotel. Angus did well on shift and got great experience in a busy venue. Although a job didn’t come through at Kingston, the placement had done its job, and he had runs on the board and recent references.
Not long after, Angus picked up a role at Robbie Browns which is a great fit for him. The team back him to learn new things, from dialling in coffee and practising latte art to memorising the menu so he can help customers quickly and well. “I like that they support me to keep learning,” he says. “And I really enjoy my colleagues — we have great conversations and I feel connected at work.”
Looking back, Angus can see the steps that mattered. Steamhouse Cafe gave him his start and the day to day skills. SETN, with Gary keeping an eye on opportunities helped him present himself well, pick up the right training and convert experience into a job he enjoys. It’s exactly the kind of pathway SETN is here for!