Passionate young local Maori students have been given a hand up to the hospitality industry since 2014, through the establishment of a scholarship programme with Sudima Hotels & Resorts and Ngati Whakaue Education Endowment Trust Board.
Te Waiwakaata Kingi-Tait (Wai), 23, is the 2016 recipient of the sought-after scholarship and is embarking on a career she says will enable her to proudly represent her tribe to a global audience.
Born and bred in Rotorua, Wai left school in Year 12 and began working in restaurants and motels where her love for the hospitality industry flourished. She heard about the scholarship through family friend Awatere Douglas, who happened to be the scholarship programme's inaugural recipient.
"Pertinent to local Maori culture, looking after our people is a matter of great pride. And, with Rotorua's strong tourism industry, we have the opportunity to showcase this pride and truly value our guests. Locals are inherently proud of their heritage, and we all want to share it with others.
"For a lot of youth, the kind of opportunity this scholarship offers does not come around often. I'm so grateful to represent my tribe in this way, and I know this scholarship is going to greatly benefit my future."