Cook training program expands after successful 1st year

A training program for entry-level cooks on P.E.I. is looking for even more participants after a successful first year.

The free training program is offered by the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island and Holland College, with funding from Skills PEI.

"This came about a few years ago when there was a huge shortage in the kitchen," said Kim Smith, industry human resource manager with TIAPEI.

"Basically it's to train somebody at the entry level so they can go in withthe basic knife skills that are needed, a lot of the preparation that is needed and recipes, but also the safety that's needed within a kitchen."

This year, the program will take 20 participants, up from 16 in year one.

"We felt that thepilot that was run last year went really well and that students when they were finished were very well prepared," Smith said.

"As part of the course, they have to do an internship and the restaurants, the feedback that we were given is they felt that students were quite prepared."

Paid internship

The internship takes place in April, during P.E.I.'s busy Burger Love event.

"That's a huge drive within the restaurant so there are a lot of people looking for new hires within that term," Smith said.

"The other thing too, it gives them a chance to basically test drive somebody before they do an official hire."

Restaurants pay the interns when they are on the job in April.

"That is where we want to see the industry commitment," Smith said.

"Them paying their wages while they're working during Burger Love is showing that they are invested in this as well."

After the internship, Smith said, the participants have another four weeks of additional training.

"They're basically working on their front-of-house skills, so this is when they start preparing meals for large groups of people," Smith said.

"From there they might work on a little bit of seafood prep and then also timing is a huge part how to time the different things when you're feeding 80 people."

Expanding east and west

Last year, Smith said 12 of 16 participants graduated from the program and all found work in the industry right away.

Five of them also chose to go back to school to obtain their Red Seal certification.

Smith said future employers are already lining up for year two of the training program.

"We have quite a few people already that are wanting to take part in the internship," Smith said.

"They're asking for a list of those graduates whenever they finish so that they can have a chance at hiring them first."

Smith said the goal is to expand the training program across the Island to eastern and western P.E.I. within the next three years.

The 2020 program will cost over $200,000, with funding through the Canada-P.E.I. labour market agreements.

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