John Rassie

John Rassie says taking the advice of Travel and Tourism teacher Ian Morrison, to study in Queenstown was one of the best decisions he has ever made. “Tourism is a great career choice down here. Lots of different doors open up, especially if you are a Kiwi committed to working hard.”

After leaving St Andrew’s, John gained a Diploma in Hospitality Management at Queenstown Resort College and worked as a concierge at the Hilton Hotel. “I initially planned to be a full-time concierge and work my way around Queenstown, but then the opportunity came up to work with premium boutique winery Wet Jacket as a cellar door host. I started part-time over the summer, and now work there four days a week. It’s an amazing place to grow my career in the wine industry.”

John also works for NZSki, driving people up and down the mountain two days a week. “I’m grateful for the grounding and industry knowledge I picked up in Year 12–13 Travel and Tourism at St Andrew’s. It’s helped to put me on an exciting career path, and I’m having a lot of fun as well.”