Company Profile
THINQ Learning & Development Pty Limited trading as THINQ Training is registered by the Vocational Education Training Accreditation Board (VETAB) New South Wales to deliver training package qualifications and selected units of competency appropriate to the Australian Qualifications Training Framework (AQTF).
THINQ Training’s Head Office is in Sydney with Regional Offices in Newcastle, Penrith and Bathurst. THINQ Training operates within the Sydney metropolitan area, Central West and the Newcastle and Hunter Valley areas of NSW. We plan to expand further during 2007-2008 into the Southern and Northern Regions of New South Wales; with a view to move nationally within five (5) years.
During 2005 we gained (two) 2 further and key elements to the operation, being approval from the NSW LAB (Liquor Administration Board) in April 2005 for the Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course and in October 2005 the company successfully applied for Government Funding by being accepted on the Approved Provider List (APL).
In 2007 THINQ Training increased its scope of registration to include Aged Care and Business and was approved by the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) to conduct & administer the Australian Skills Vouchers Program, an Australian Government initiative, for Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations). These improvements in basic skills will help people who are:
- Employed to progress their career
- Unemployed to assist them to find work
THINQ Training primarily conducts food and beverage training services to entry level students wishing to gain employment into the hospitality industry. However with an increasing number of alliance partners and a number of Job Network Providers, our operational services now include:
- Training & assessment services in Hospitality, Aged Care and Business
- Performance management
- Occupational Health & Safety
- Licence & Club premises compliance
- Consultancy within the Hospitality Industry.
Key People
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John Mead
Director, and Chief Executive Officer and Founder
 CEO John Mead has been formally involved with workplace training for over 10 years following 34 years in the hospitality industry. John successfully ran licensed premises as owner/operator/manager and was a licensee of seven (7) licensed premises and sold his last hotel, the Cauliflower Hotel in Waterloo, NSW in 1995. He worked with TAFE during 1996 and than in partnership with the AHA (NSW), MHM Australasia, Amstar Learning and REACH for Training. That extensive industry and training knowledge was consolidated through writing a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course for Registered Training Organisation Amstar Learning Pty Ltd, which was approved by the Liquor Administration Board (LAB) during 2001, and writing a series of skills training programs designed to meet required compliance training and enhance operational skills for industry personnel. John is very involved with the day to day running of the business, conducts training sessions regularly and focuses on the sales and marketing functions of the business.
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 Ellen Gillespie
General Manager and RTO Compliance Officer
Company CEO, John Mead was thrilled in March 2006 when appointing and welcoming Ellen Gillespie as Regional Manager Northern NSW. Then in April 2007 Ellen was promoted to become company General Manager and RTO Compliance Officer. Not only does Ellen have a Diploma in Hospitality Management (Operations), but she has over 26 years hospitality industry experience with 18 years in Registered Clubs (bar, cellar, gaming, keno, TAB,
reception, food service including functions), 5 years in Hotels, 3 years as Functions Manager, but has nearly 10 years in Vocational Education. Ellen set up and was the Manager of REACH for Training (an RTO) for 4 years and has been involved in conducting LAB approved RSA courses since 1998. Ellen will be based in the Newcastle office in Cardiff.
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 Caroline Mariner
Administration & Office Manager
Caroline started with us early in 2004 as a shy Administration Trainee. Over the last (almost) 4 years she has not only gained in confidence and knowledge, but also attained her Certificate III in Business Administration. Caroline has worked her way from being our receptionist and telephonist to now being a very important and valuable member of our team and is now our Administration & Office Manager.
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Les Ledwidge
Certificate IV Assessor and Workplace Trainer
Diploma in Hospitality Management & Certificate IV Assessor and Workplace Trainer
Les Ledwidge has had 10 years “hands on” experience within the Hospitality Industry, 6 of these at Management level. His experience covers all aspects of Bar Operations within Club and Hotel environments.
Les’s qualifications include: Diploma in Hospitality Management and Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training and has been delivering workplace training for a number of Registered Training Organisations since 1999.
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 Asoka Ekanayake
Certificate IV Assessor and Workplace Trainer, Certificate 111 in Hospitality (Operations)
Asoka Ekanayake has worked in the hospitality industry for over twenty three years - ten years in restaurant management. The last thirteen years being in corporate hospitality. Asoka is currently consulting to Government House of NSW to manage the operations of their functions. Asoka has taken an active interest in staff development and training through out his working career. He is a accredited RSA trainer and is developing Supervisory level training courses.
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 Martin Cummings
Regional Manager, Central West NSW
Diploma in Catering & Hotel Management
Certificate IV in Small Business Management & Certificate IV Assessor and Workplace Trainer
Martin has many years of supervisory and management positions of hotels, motels, clubs and bottle shops. He has also worked as a functions and banquets coordinator and supervisor of bar and gaming operations of large clubs. Since 2003 Martin has been progressively moving into training and assessment roles with TAFE and SBTC.
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 Sean Harper
Certificate IV Assessor and Workplace Trainer, Certificate 111 in Hospitality (Operations)
Sean has over 16 years hospitality industry experience. In the early 1990’s Sean was Bar Manager/Supervisor of a large Brisbane restaurant, followed by 3 years as Manager/Licensee of a West End, London restaurant/wine bar, and then between 1996 and 2005, he held 3 restaurant licences in Sydney. Sean also has a Bachelor of Business. Sean attained his Certificate IV in Training & Assessment in 2006.
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