Dan Du

She is fascinated by us all. Big. Small. Carnivore. Vegan. Western. Eastern. People from all walks of life and all parts of the globe. It's this genuine passion for people and their diversity that has motivated 23 year old Dan Du to pursue a career in hospitality.

"I love different people from different backgrounds and countries that's one of the main reasons I chose to get into the hospitality industry," says Dan, who left her home of Hu Bei, China and headed to New Zealand six years ago.

"By working in this industry in New Zealand I can really begin to understand what the lifestyle of Western people is like. Working at a function is particularly good because you see what kind of parties they have, what kind of food they eat, how they celebrate. It teaches you a lot about another culture."

And studying at NZMA Auckland Central, which prides itself on its multicultural mix of staff and students, is an added bonus.

"NZMA was another good chance for me to experience different cultures and backgrounds. I met lots of different people there and had the opportunity to communicate with them."

In December Dan graduated with her National Diploma in Hospitality Management. She says the course was fun, practical and very worthwhile.

"I've really enjoyed my studies, particularly the practical aspects like cocktails, coffee and wine knowledge. That was really fun. The weeks I spent working in the student run caf� were great also.

"I've never met tutors like the ones at NZMA before. They are not like teachers, they are like friends. They are funny and friendly and they all bring their experiences to the class and teach us not only textbook knowledge but also about their personal experiences. I've really enjoyed that."

When Dan first started her diploma she was working part-time as a bartender in a Chinese restaurant. She worked continuously throughout her studies and, although she has only recently graduated, she already has an impressive CV.

"NZMA has good connections with a temp agency and quite early on in my course I started doing work for them. I did functions ranging from 200 to 1000 guests. I also worked as a housekeeper at the Ascott Metropolis Hotel for eight months and then four months before the end of my course the Copthorne Hotel on Anzac Avenue took me on as a food and beverage attendant."

Dan now works full-time for the Copthorne Hotel Auckland and is looking forward to a bright future with them.

"This is a good starting place for my career - working here has helped me to open the door to my future. The supervisors are very nice to me and treat me like their friends and I really enjoy the work. I have already been put through some training courses and learnt a lot. They have really invested in me."

And it looks like it'll be a wise investment. Dan is keen to stay with the organization for quite some time.

"The Copthorne is owned by the Millennium Group which has hotels all over the world. Maybe in the future I could stay with the group but transfer to Singapore or go to China. There are lots of possibilities."

Wherever Dan Du goes in the future, there's one thing you can be sure of. She'll serve all her customers with a smile and she'll embrace the people and the culture with the same warm-hearted open enthusiasm she brought Down Under all those years ago.