Better Careers in Catering

Project Outline and History

Cornwall Catering Excellence, which sponsor the Cornish Challenge competition as part of a package of activity aimed at supporting their customers in the catering and hospitality trades, considered the most constructive route to achieving this engagement would be to focus on the career opportunities in the sector.

Anecdotal evidence makes it clear that there are significant vacancies in the catering and hospitality sector.  This is not only disappointing in terms of the local employment opportunities, but also in terms of the quality of recruitment and its impact on the quality of service and catering which is offered within Cornwall.

In 2005, as a pilot, head teachers were invited to the Cornish Challenge.  They were given a conducted tour of the facilities at the Training College, met with the competing teams, and heard from them about their career opportunities.  All welcomed the initiative and claimed it had had a positive influence on the way they perceived careers in catering.
Students at the College training on restaurant service were also judged with prizes for the best team and individual student.

From this beginning and with assistance from The Education Business Partnership (EBP) and funding from The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and South West Regional Development Board (SWRDA), Better Careers in Catering was born. A DVD was produced using local celebrity chefs talking about their life style, the bonus of having wonderful local produce available and the opportunities in the industry with footage of them enjoying their leisure pursuits.

The engagement with Secondary Schools in Cornwall starts with teachers attending the Cornish Challenge event and continues in a managed way to encourage wider participation by students in careers in catering and hospitality. EBP then arranges visits by Chef Ambassadors, who have been trained to present to students, going out to schools, talking to the students and giving them a DVD to take home with them. Interested students are then encouraged to take a catering related qualification (GCE in Catering or Food Technology). This is then followed up with a suitable work placement.

The Cornish Challenge event is an important opportunity for Cornwall Catering Excellence members to invite customers to and encouraging them to support the initiative to improve training and recruitment into the catering and hospitality sector. In 2007 -2008 the project will encompass encouraging and helping caterers to become “Platinum Providers”. This Cornwall County Council run scheme recognizes employers who offer excellent work placements measured on a number of criteria. For further information on the Platinum Provider scheme see http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5157

In 2006 the Better Careers in Catering project gained national recognition by winning the best regional initiative in the prestigious Springboard Awards. See below;
 Don Mckenzie of Cornwall College (2nd left), Julie Mann of Doble Quality Foods (centre) and Steve Abbott of Abbotts of Cornwall and Chair of Cornwall Catering Excellence (2nd right).