From TVET to the USA: Nwabisa Matinise’s journey in hospitality

For Nwabisa Matinise, hospitality is more than a career. It is where her love for food, passion for people and practical skills have come together to create opportunities she once may not have imagined.

Her interest in food began at home, where she helped her mother in the kitchen and watched cooking programmes such as Siba’s Table and Gordon Ramsay’s shows. By the time she reached high school, her growing passion had convinced her that hospitality was the career she wanted to pursue.

When limited space at universities meant she could not secure a place in a hospitality programme, Matinise found another route. She enrolled on Hospitality and Catering Services at False Bay TVET College.

“That was the best decision I ever made,” she says.

At False Bay TVET College, Matinise discovered the value of learning through practical experience. The college kitchen became a place where she could put her interest in food into practice, learn new dishes and begin to understand what it meant to work in a professional hospitality environment.

She also credits her lecturers for helping her develop both academically and practically. One lecturer, Miss Baleni, made a particularly lasting impression.

Matinise remembers her as someone who was always willing to assist students with assignments and examination preparation.

“She pushed us to do our best! She will forever be a ROCKSTAR the college needs!” she says.

The practical nature of her training also helped Matinise develop skills that would later prove valuable in the workplace. Her communication skills improved, while working in a fast-paced practical environment taught her how to remain composed under pressure.

She also developed time management, teamwork, attention to detail and discipline.

These experiences helped her understand where her strengths lay. Although she is comfortable working both in the kitchen and front of house, she discovered that she particularly enjoys serving customers and creating positive experiences for them.

Her journey was not without setbacks.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her studies during her first semester. Students were unable to attend classes for seven months before returning to write their N4 examinations.

The interruption left Matinise demotivated and, at one point, considering whether she should quit.

Instead, she chose to persevere.

She prayed for strength, continued studying and decided that, even if she failed, she would at least know that she had given it her best.

She passed.

“Having faith kept me going,” she says.

After completing her studies, Matinise gained valuable industry experience through internships at Quay Four in the V&A Waterfront and later at Siba The Restaurant, owned by chef and television personality Siba Mtongana.

For Matinise, working at Siba The Restaurant was particularly meaningful because she had grown up watching Mtongana’s cooking show.

Her first job as a hostess further developed her customer-service and communication skills. She learned how to understand and respond to customer expectations while gaining experience across different hospitality roles, including waiter or server, bartender, runner and hostess.

Each role added to her understanding of the industry and helped her build confidence in working with people.

In 2025, Matinise decided to take another chance on herself.

She applied for an overseas hospitality opportunity through an agent she discovered on TikTok. After an interview, she was offered the opportunity to work as a waiter at a golf country club in the United States of America.

The move gave her an opportunity to apply the skills she had developed through her TVET education in an international environment. It also exposed her to different cultures, customers and cuisines.

Her experience has reinforced an important lesson: the career she initially imagined for herself does not have to be limited to the kitchen.

“I always just wanted to be in the kitchen, but I excelled in serving as well, which is now the role I would like to continue working in,” she says.

For Matinise, TVET provided much more than a qualification. It gave her practical experience, industry exposure and the confidence to recognise her strengths and pursue opportunities beyond South Africa.

Her ambitions extend well beyond her current role.

Matinise hopes to one day open her own restaurant and bar offering high-end hospitality services. She also wants to invest in small businesses and establish cooking classes for teenagers in her community.

Through these initiatives, she hopes to share the knowledge and experience she has gained throughout her journey and inspire young people to explore opportunities in hospitality.

Her advice to those considering a career in the industry is straightforward: be prepared to persevere and keep learning.

“There will be long hours, challenging guests, mistakes, and moments when you question yourself. But remember: every challenge is teaching you something that will make you better.”

Matinise’s story resonates with the TVET Month 2026 theme, “TVET: The inclusive home of occupational excellence – Driving the skills revolution.”

For her, the theme reflects the opportunity TVET education provides to develop practical skills, discover personal strengths and pursue possibilities that may initially seem out of reach.

Her journey began with helping her mother in the kitchen and watching cooking programmes at home. It continued with practical training at False Bay TVET College, industry experience in South Africa and, ultimately, an opportunity to work in the United States.

It is a journey that illustrates how vocational education can turn an interest into a career, while equipping young people with skills they can take wherever opportunity leads.

* By Mamonare Mahlo, Communication and Online Officer: UNEVOC Centre at Unisa