Gateway Mentor Program

Gateway Mentor program – About

This amazing initiative is another way the Gateway to Industry program provides excellent opportunities to its members to ensure they are exposed to the best training and advice. This will in turn ensure that our future industry leaders are well prepared for the realities in the work place.

We have selected 6 wonderful mentors across our network who have graciously agreed to give their time to help our members with additional support, validation or just a question answered if they ever need.  To learn more about this program or connect with a specific mentor please email or call : gatewaymentors@usq.edu.au, or call Deeka or Wim on +61 7 4685 5050.

If you are not already a member of the Gateway to Industry: Food Wine and Tourism program please contact us on the above contact details. Remember membership is free, we look forward to hearing from you!

   Andrew McKenzie – Hospitality Trainer at TAFE Queensland

After a career spanning nearly thirty-five years Andrew is now a Cookery Teacher at TAFE Queensland Southbank Campus since 2013, deciding that he wanted to share his experience and knowledge about the industry with Apprentices and Culinary Students. Andrew has worked in Hotels, Restaurants and Resorts in Victoria, Sydney and the Gold Coast as well as Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.  He has also managed a small Catering company with twenty-seven outlets which included twelve boarding schools around Queensland and Northern NSW.

 Christian Beattie – HOD | Business and Industry Links at Kirwan SHS

At 17 Christian started a cookery apprenticeship in the Yarra Valley. After qualifying almost 30 years ago, his career has led him to work in many 5 star properties including the Beaufort Darwin, Orpheus Island and the Grand Hyatt Melbourne.  Christian was promoted to Head Chef for the BHP training facility in Aitken Hill, Melbourne where he spent 2 years. The year 2000 resulted in a cumulative 8 idyllic years in Cairns as the executive Chef for Green Island and Tjapukai Aboriginal Park. He got a taste for teaching at Wodonga TAFE and 11 years ago (from 2019) with a new teaching degree in hand he moved to Townsville, first at TAFE North and then to Kirwan High School where he has been for 5 years, 3 years of which has been HOD of Business and Industry.

Christian is a committed and passionate teacher with knowledge to share.

   Karen Thornburn – Cluster Learning and Development Manager for International Hotels Group

Karen’s devotion and dedication within the Hospitality and Tourism industry in operations, Human Resources and the Learning and Development arena is documented with her rich portfolio of academic credentials, experience and contributions in Australia and overseas with leading international hospitality organisations.
She holds multiple qualifications that include Bachelor in Adult Education and Vocational Teaching, Diploma in Business, Diploma of Hospitality, Diploma in Human Resources, and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment obtained by nationally recognized providers such as Griffith University, South Brisbane TAFE and Gold Coast Institute of TAFE.
Her talent, achievements and leadership as well as her ability to work within a multicultural environment echoed outside our Continent where she worked with Kempinski Hotels Resorts & Residences.  She opened 21 properties and lead the 27 Training and Human Resources teams in the Middle East, Africa, India and the Seychelles. In this role she was awarded the MEA Hotelier Human Resources person of the year.
Her skills in Coaching, Employee Engagement, Performance Change and Talent Management, Leadership development, Human Resources Strategy & Recruitment and Hospitality management were applied in assignments such as the QTIC Training Express, Australia’s first Hospitality and Tourism training train taking hospitality education to Queensland’s regional areas.  She has undertaken leadership roles with prestigious Hospitality flagship hotels such as Brisbane Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Palazzo Versace, One&Only, Dreamworld and InterContinental Hayman Island.  She has also had assignments in Registered Training Organizations within Hospitality & Tourism that include the Russo Institute of Technology, Prestige Service Training, TAFE QLD, Lecturer and Tutor with QITB and Griffith University.
Karen actively supports the development of teachers and students in the Hospitality and Tourism industry with Chefs of the Future, Salute to Excellence and Gateway schools.
But the most gratifying of all will be the attributes people recognise in her such as innovation, ethics, people development and people centred responsibility and approachability, classifying her as an ambassador of training and development.

   Andrew Simpson – Professional Cookery Teacher at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism

Chef Drew (as he is affectionately known) is QCWT’s inaugural Chef in 2007 and continues to dish up new, exciting and innovative dishes in Varias Restaurant and Cellar Door. Drew uses quality ingredients available in the region, showcasing our ‘local heroes’, the farmers and artisan producers of the Granite Belt. Varias Restaurant under the direction of Chef Drew has been awarded the Restaurant and Caterers Awards Best Restaurant in a Winery for five years running. Prior to joining the QCWT team, Chef Drew owned his own restaurants in Brisbane and on the Granite Belt and boasts 30 years in the industry.

Kara Pulou – Hospitality Function Co-ordinator at Redbank Plains SHS

Kara Pulou, experienced Home Economics and Hospitality Senior Teacher from Redbank Plains SHS. I have been a State School teacher for going on 23 years with 21 of those at Redbank Plains SHS. I have always taught with creativity and a passion to help students at risk, starting my Career always looking for a challenge. The last year of University, I went to the Juvenile Jail to teach the boys how to cook on a Saturday morning; developed a fashion class collaborating with the Fashion Course at the Sunshine Coast TAFE at Maroochydore SHS, started teaching hospitality at Redbank which soon lead to successfully leading students into culinary competitions and for the past 11 years, initiating and managing our School Based Indigenous Inspired Catering Enterprise, “Platters on Willow” , linked to our Certificate Hospitality Courses that I have been coordinating for several years, focusing on giving our students, particularly our Indigenous Students, real life experience in the Hospitality Industry and more importantly breaking down barriers and building confidence, respect for Indigenous culture and life skills that they will use throughout their lives. Platters on Willow was the Regional Winner for Innovative Program for the Showcase Awards for Excellence in Schools back in 2013, and is still growing and operating at a high level, catering around 50 events each year out in the community.

Thane Williams – Hospitality Trainer at Marist College Emerald

As a trainer, Thane Williams embraces every opportunity to encourage his students to develop not only their skills but also a passion for hospitality. Through Thane’s vision, his students have had the opportunity to cater functions and events not previously realised due to the rural setting of Marist College Emerald. Drawing upon his extensive experience, Thane has inspired many of his students to pursue a career in hospitality.

Thane’s commitment and dedication were recognised at the Queensland Training Awards Regional Finals held in Rockhampton on Saturday night, where he was awarded the VET Teacher or Trainer of the Year for the Central Queensland region.