A lifetime opportunity she will never forget
POORTVIEW – Pupil from Gateway School shares on her delight with the experience she had during her internship.
She made an exit bang to her schooling days. Jeanne-Marie Lubbe (18), who is a Gateway School pupil, said she achieved her goals and dreams for this year. “I always wanted to gain work experience from a reputable place like this one,”said Lubbe.
For the past five months, Lubbe has been an intern at Black Eagle Boutique Hotel and Conferences in Poortview. She mentioned that everytime she drove past Black Eagle on her way to school she had the wish to enter and just see what is going on in there. “I wanted to experience what this beautiful place offered and I was delighted when I was offered the opportunity to do my internship here.”
Pierre Goosen, who was Lubbe’s mentor, explained that they witnessed as she blossomed and developed career wise . “When she first came here she was a bit of an introvert but now she is a completely different person, but in a good way.”
Goosen was also impressed with how quickly Lubbe learned everything that he was teaching her. Her observation is also on point.
As for the intern herself, being at Black Eagle changed her perception about baking. “I always perceived baking to be boring but after working with Chef Pierre, I realised that it’s actually fun and exciting.”
Lubbe is taking whatever she learned during her internship home and applies it. “Ever since being there, I’m always baking nice treats for my family.”
She said she will forever be grateful for the opportunity given to her by Black Eagle. “I learned so much from this place, not just from the kitchen. I got to help a lot with waitressing when there were functions.”
She was touched by the great sense of humour and welcoming nature of the staff when she first came and throughout her internship. “Everybody has been so nice to me. They’ve touched me in a special way that I will never forget them.”
Jenny Gordon, Public Relations Officer for Black Eagle, explained that though Lubbe was the first student to be an intern at their place; they plan on take other pupils who might need experiential training from Gateway School. “This is one way that these pupils can get work experience and what better way do to it than this way?”
