Smithton High School’s Rustic Duck cafe provides a valuable opportunity for students to pick up experience in a working kitchen while working towards a qualification.

The cafe first opened its doors in 2018 and has been well supported by classes of passionate students since then.

Trainer Kim Muller guides students through Certificate II in Hospitality as the year wears on, closing the cafe for the final term as students complete the theory aspect of their assessments as well as completing 35 hours of work placement.

“An environment like this is ideal because students need experience in a commercial kitchen as part of the course, previously we had been using the [Smithton Recreation Ground],” she explained.

“It’s a great program, they are training in real life situations and learning as they go.”

The cafe is open to the entire community every Thursday from 10am until 2pm, with the students completing all of the meal prep the Tuesday prior.

Chloe Horton, Lachie Wheatley, Kim Muller, Ky Haywood and Bailee Dixon are learning plenty about the hospitality industry working out of Rustic Duck of a Thursday afternoon. Absent: Tara Coles and Chris Opperman.