Six young chefs on the first of our apprenticeship schemes run in partnership with the Cotswold Chef will be serving up a top-class two-course lunch for invited employers next month.
The apprentices, all employed by local businesses, have been studying an innovative and varied day-release programme at the Cotswold Chef Food Centre in Cirencester, under the leadership of chef Rob Rees. The employers’ lunch on 13 February links into National Apprenticeship Week and will launch our 2012 apprenticeship programme.
As Rob Rees explained, it is a catering apprenticeship ‘with a difference’: “This is no ordinary, old-fashioned type of day-release. Participants get to visit local farms, have real industry experts like butchers and fishmongers enhancing the course, and get to cook ingredients they don’t get from other training providers like fresh lobsters, veal and organic vegetables. The pilot has gone well I would encourage every employer to consider enrolling their staff on to this industry and educational partnership training course."
The lunch is a chance for employers to consider entering staff into the apprenticeship programme, as recruitment for the second intake starts now for April 2012. According to business training manager, Tom Beasley, there is already considerable interest from employers who value the experience and added value the Cotswold Chef partnership brings.
“We want to showcase to interested employers the difference that the apprenticeship programme can make and the skills developed by our young chefs. We have created a programme that really stands out, focussing on developing versatile and talented chefs of the future”.
If you are an interested employer or someone considering an apprenticeship there are still places available on the scheme. Contact Stroud College direct on 0800 0094200 or visit www.coursesforbusinesstraining.co.uk
Photo: Cotswold Chef Rob Rees (back row, second from right) with (l to r) Tom Short, Dean Squirrell, Eleanor Thompson, Josh Bovey.
About The Cotswold Chef
One of the UK’s leading chefs and consultants, Rob Rees is dedicated to creating a better food culture for Britain. He balances social aspects of his work with his private interests of consultant, demonstrator, food columnist, writer and chef. Rob has actively campaigned around issues on education, health, nutrition, food safety and consumer issues for many years and recently developed a Junior Chefs Programme that promotes the industry as one of first choice. The Cotswold Chef™ Food Centre has a team of fully qualified training staff.
Amongst Rob's current work he is Chairman of the School Food Trust, Non Executive Director NHS Gloucestershire, CEO The Wiggly Worm.
Rob is often featured in local, regional and national media commenting on food-related matters and for many years, in particular with Visit Britain and others, has had a role in promoting the UK and its food culture throughout the world.
His own projects work at developing the skills, careers and educational options for young people and vulnerable adults and have affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of Gloucestershire consumers in the last 10 years.
In January 2006, Rob Rees was awarded an MBE for ‘Services to the Food Industry’.
For more information www.thecotswoldchef.com
www.twitter.com/thecotswoldchef
www.facebook.com/thecotswoldchef.
