AUT - Learn at Work or Abroad
Learn at Work or Abroad
During the Bachelor of International Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Tourism Studies, and Bachelor of Arts (Event Management) students gain workplace experience, with the co-op semester of each degree spent working with an employer rather than in the classroom.
In addition, students taking certificate, diploma or undergraduate degree courses in Hospitality will gain workplace experience in AUT’s kitchens and restaurants.
Co-operative Education
Learn outside the classroom by undertaking a work placement. You will improve your industry contacts, implement your newly gained knowledge and prepare yourself fully for your career.
During your work placement you will spend one semester with an organisation related to one of your majors. This gives you an initial taste of the industry and enables you to apply classroom theories in a practical setting to develop your capabilities and skills.
There are a variety of employers who regularly involve our students in co-operative education.
AUT’s Restaurants – Piko and Four Seasons
Both restaurants are staffed by students during the semester and are open to the public for events, as well as a full lunch and dinner service. Four Seasons offers a fine dining experience and Piko a more relaxed bistro feel.
Four Seasons contact details, opening hours and menu
Piko contact details, opening hours and menu
Global Exchange
The School of Hospitality and Tourism has developed partnerships with overseas universities to develop our focus in both curriculum and research. This helps our students understand the global environment in which we operate.
AUT University has student overseas exchange programmes with the following universities:
Ryerson University - Canada
Hong Kong Polytechnic University - Hong Kong
Putting the theory into practice
July 2009
Perzen Darukhanawalla is one of the many thousands of students studying at AUT but she’s using her time here to get some real-life experience and the most out of the opportunities that AUT offers.
Hospitality is what gets Perzen out of bed in the morning and while she is studying a conjoint Bachelors in International Hospitality Management and Business (Marketing) she is gaining valuable experience working for AUT’s Commercial Services Department.
Perzen also chose to do her co-operative placement with Commercial Services after dabbling in administration and catering for them throughout the year. “While I’ll be continuing with the event side of things there I’ll also be helping to put together a marketing plan for them which focuses on internal planning and promoting the services offered.”
Perzen also took advantage of the exchange programme AUT offers and spent four months at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada studying various business papers. “It was great, the best four months of my life, I learnt so much from living by myself and meeting new people from all around the world, it was a great way to exchange knowledge and share how kiwis operate.”
“AUT is consistently changing and they make sure you change with them, they are the only university offering this kind of hospitality programme so we’re already one step ahead and working for Commercial Services at AUT is giving me an extra advantage.”