Wine Tourism at Centenary Heights State High School
Hello and welcome to Wine Tourism!
Centenary Heights State High School is a Gateway School to the Wine Tourism Industry. This means we have been identified as one of thirteen schools in Queensland that will educate and ‘motivate’ young Winemakers and tourism operators for the future. The Wine industry in QLD is a huge component of our economy and employment in this area will be widely sought and available in the near future.
As part of this, we offer a range of opportunities for our young people across and outside our curriculum. In all departments, assessment items and learning experiences have been catered to include Wine Tourism aspects. More specifically, students in Year 10 are then given the opportunity to study our own subject – Wine Tourism. This has proven to be immensely popular, with approximately 25% of all students in year 10 selecting to study this course. Furthermore, Year 11 & 12 students are able to continue their studies in Wine Tourism or Events Planning at TAFE. This program, linked directly to our own school program, will enable students to earn a nationally recognised Certificate 2 and 3.
Wine Tourism is also supported by our Industry links, with local winemakers and tourism venues such as Preston Peak and Toowoomba Hills. A number of our students have obtained work at such sites, as well as other hospitality venues, and numerous traineeships are also available. For those students interested in a tertiary pathway, the USQ has established links with us to enable students to study some Wine Science subjects as part of the Headstart program. In so doing, students in Years 11 & 12 are permitted to complete credit points for a Degree course while still at school. In 2009, our first Centenary Heights student to start this Wine Science Degree will commence her tertiary studies.
A very tangible element of our Wine Tourism links is our school vineyard. This was established in 2007, with Sauvignon Blanc and Saparevi varieties grown. Students who are studying Wine Tourism, Chemistry and Agricultural Science in Years 10-12 are involved in tending our vineyard (and producing each years vintage) along with our Special Education Unit, who maintain the site and guarantee the health of the vines.
Clearly, Wine Tourism is a dynamic and progressive part of what Centenary Heights State High School offers your child.
Alex van Dorsselaer
Wine Tourism Coordinator
