Before looking at this particular apprenticeship there are a couple of things you need to know about an apprenticeship upfront. Firstly, they are a work based programme and an apprentice has to be employed. An apprentice can be paid a special training wage, which is slightly under the minimum wage. Secondly, an apprenticeship isn’t a qualification in its own right, but rather a collection of different qualifications that allows an apprentice to develop well rounded knowledge and skills.
Apprenticeships are normally delivered by a commercial training provider or a college. Their delivery can be very flexible; including day release, on the job, online training assessment etc. The type of delivery will depend on the circumstances of the employer and apprentice and is usually agreed by the employer and learning provider upfront. The delivery will influence how long it takes to complete an apprenticeship.
Public funding is usually available depending on the age of the learner and involves a contribution from the employer. However, research shows that the cost of an hospitality apprenticeship is redeemed after just over a year – much less than other apprenticeships and various studies have shown them to be more productive and liable to stay with the employer compared to comparable workers not on the apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is made up of a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), Key Skills, Technical Certificates and a section on Employment Rights and Responsibilities.
These are standard in all apprenticeships, but what makes this relevant to Professional Cookery is the choice of NVQ. It is the NVQ and the Technical Certificates that make the qualification relevant to chefs. The technical certificates provide the knowledge and assessment to separately reflect the breadth of the NVQ
The Level 3 Apprenticeship in Hospitality & Catering (Professional Cookery) is made up of:
- NVQ Diploma - to choose from:
- Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery (Professional Cookery)
- Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Professional Cookery (Preparation and Cooking)
- Level 3 Certificate in Hospitality and Catering Principles (Professional Cookery)
- Key skills/Functional skills qualifications in English and Maths (to level 2 – if not already achieved prior to undertaking the apprenticeship)
- Employment Rights and Responsibilities