New chef course to offer guaranteed hotel jobs
Aspiring chefs are being urged to step up to the plate a with a new training course launched by the Northern Ireland Hospitality School.
The Chef Academy offers not only training and a qualification but guaranteed employment at of Northern Ireland’s top hotels once finished.
It will see see six successful candidates undertake a year-long scholarship delivered through on-the-job training at either the Adair Arms Hotel, Galgorm Resort or Tullyglass House Hotel, where they will ultimately secure a job,
Successful candidates will gain a nationally recognised qualification (FDQ Level 2 Diploma in Professional Chef – Northern Ireland), delivered by training partner South Eastern Regional College (SERC). The course involves not just classroom learning, but on the job training with our highly skilled kitchen brigade as well as unique experiences with our local food producers.
Representing an investment in year one of nearly £250,000 the new academy aims to recruit six locally based chef apprentices for its first intake in September, with applications now open.
The announcement follows the launch of the Northern Ireland Hospitality School last April, part funded by Ballymena-based charity The Gallaher Trust. To date, the school has already supported 24 students in gaining full-time employment with partnering hotels through its dedicated Bar Academy.
Lauren McAteer from The Gallaher Trust said: “We’re very pleased that the school offers students a dedicated education centre which is focused on providing first-class training and development; as well as real-world experience of a busy kitchen environment and learning from the very best across three of Northern Ireland’s top hotels. For us, the fact that the school facilitates employment for all of the graduates is the ultimate goal and one that makes these courses so attractive to students.
“The launch of the new Chef Academy complements the School’s dedicated Bar Academy and further underscores their commitment to firmly establish the NI Hospitality School as a centre for excellence. Well done to all those involved.”
Thomas Turley, South Eastern Regional College Lecturer in Hospitality and Catering, said: “The quality of the programme is second to none and offers aspiring chefs a real foot in the door to a fantastic new career alongside top employers. With no formal entry requirements, the course is accessible to everyone that can demonstrate a passion for cooking and a real drive to build their career as a chef. With just six coveted places up for grabs, I would encourage anyone interested to step up to the plate and apply today.”
Applications close on 29th August 2022, with successful candidates enrolled from mid-September.
For more information, or to apply, please visit nihospitalityschool.com
