PUHI — For Kaua‘i Community College culinary arts students, Thursday was more than carving ice sculptures at the Puhi campus.
The students were guided by guest instructors Chef Dale Radomski and Charlie Matsuda of the Sheraton Kaua‘i at Coconut Beach Resort in creating works of art from blocks of ice the college, for the first time, created on-campus.
“We created the ice right here on campus,” said Marty Amaro of the culinary department. “Last year, we had to buy the ice from Maui. Chef Steve Nakata and I were afraid to go to Young Brothers because we thought all we would see were puddles of water.”
Amaro said it takes about 60 hours to create the blocks that measures 30 inches wide by 40 inches tall.
Radomski commented on how the college needed to market this asset so other fine dining facilities needing ice sculptures have a local source for ice that can be carved by their crew, many of whom learn the skill through the college’s culinary arts program.
“You’ll make a million dollars,” Radomski said.
Radomski and Matsuda are part of the Team Hawai‘i ice carving team that just returned from Sapporo, Japan, where they earned second place in the well-known international ice carving competition.
“We made manta rays,” Radomski said. “Manta rays have never been done in the competition before. There is the mouth, and the wing tips that need that uplifting sweep. Seven feet wide, I couldn’t fit in the mouth so Charlie had to do it. And, it was all done with snow … not ice.”
Radomski said next year is the 20th anniversary of the team’s participation in the Japan competition, and Nonstop Travel is working on a package that will allow local residents an opportunity to watch the team in action at the competition.
The students used the opportunity to hone their ice sculpting skills in preparation for Friday’s “Find Your Future” event at Kaua‘i Community College.
Some 200 students from Kaua‘i High School, Waimea High School, Kapa‘a High School, Kawaikini New Century Public Charter School, Kanuikapono School, KANAKA School, Ke Kula Ni‘ihau O Kekaha, Island School and Hawai‘i Technology Academy are expected to spend the morning exploring opportunities at Kaua‘i Community College. that includes demonstrations on the diverse array of academic programs, support services and student clubs available at the Puhi campus.
Seventy percent of all jobs in Hawai‘i in 2031 will require postsecondary education beyond high school, and 36 percent will require at least a bachelor’s degree, states a report by Georgetown University, “After Everything: Projections of Jobs, Education, and Training Requirements through 2031.”
The report, according to a release from the University of Hawai‘i on Monday, demonstrates the important role postsecondary education will play in preparing the workforce of the future, said Executive Director Stephen Schatz of Hawai‘i P-20 Partnership for Education.
“I think there is a misconception now that there are jobs that are great right here in Hawai‘i that you can get right after high school with just a high school diploma, and that’s just not the case,” Schatz said.
“We’re seeing that you need some kind of training whether that’s an apprenticeship program, whether it’s a degree at a community college, or whether it’s a four-year degree — some kind of post high school training and education is what is going to get our kids into local jobs.”
According to the report, the number of jobs in Hawai‘i will increase from 591,000 in 2021 to 624,000 in 2031, with an average of 72,000 job openings annually from new jobs, and jobs that open for other reasons, most frequently, retirement.
Of the 72,000 annual job openings, 51,000 will be for workers with postsecondary credentials, 18,000 will be for those with a high school diploma, and 3,000 will be for those with less than a high school diploma.
