6th Oct 2010 - 00:00
Image
Abstract
Over half of trainee chefs are now taking the Professional Cookery Diploma, which could save the hospitality industry millions in training costs, while the number of colleges offering the qualification has more than doubled over the past year.
The latest figures from sector skills council People 1st show that 8,000 of the 15,000 chef students starting courses across the UK are now on the Professional Cookery Diploma programme, with 120 institutions offering the qualification, up from 54 last year. The course also has impressive completion rates, with 90% of learners completing the programme. The Professional Cookery Diploma (also known informally as Professional Chef Diploma, or VRQ in Professional Cookery) is designed to be delivered full-time in colleges and is much more practical than the current NVQ, with all learners following the same curriculum and gaining a basic grounding in culinary techniques across all sections of the kitchen. It was developed by People 1st, in conjunction with City & Guilds, following intensive research with employers to understand industry needs. Businesses have reported that recruiting Professional Cookery Diploma graduates has reduced their training costs by up to £5,000 per chef in some cases. It is estimated that, once the qualification is used by every college, it could save the industry millions. Stas Anastasiades, operations director of Milsom Hotels, has been impressed with the quality of the Professional Cookery Diploma graduates he has employed. He commented: "The qualification has made a huge difference. Young chefs entering our business now understand so much more about cooking and sourcing ingredients. They have a better work ethic and a more realistic expectation of the industry. "In the past, the head chef in each outlet had to invest a lot of one to one time in helping these learners develop. Now we're saving around 2-3 weeks for each starter. Across all our hotels, this saves us around £25,000 per year in salary costs. This is equivalent to a full time chef!" It is hoped that, from September 2011, the Professional Cookery Diploma will replace the current NVQ as the sole full-time qualification for those wishing to train as a professional chef.