‘Your employer pays for the days you go to college for training. I have Wednesdays off ’
How I did it
Corey Byrne (22) 1st Year commis chef apprentice from Roundwood, Co Wicklow
Why I chose a Commis Chef apprenticeship
After school I got a job as a kitchen porter in the Powerscourt Arms and Country House in Enniskerry and went from washing pots to making desserts. I had a flair for cheffing. Just over a year ago the general manager heard about a new apprenticeship programme being set up by the Kildare Wicklow Education Training Board (KWETB) in Wicklow Town. This was an opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in a job I really enjoy.
How to apply
My employer put my name down for a place, and as it was registered with the KWETB I was accepted.
What to expect
As a commis chef apprentice, your employer pays for the days you go to college for training. I go on Mondays and Tuesdays, have Wednesdays off and work in the Powerscourt Arms from Thursday to Sunday. Working weekends doesn’t bother me. My sous chef at work is my mentor, assessing my training on the job. This apprenticeship is a two-year programme, broken into two semesters each. For the first semester we were in the kitchen at college, doing practical work, learning about different styles and methods of cooking. This semester we’re doing computer work, studying food product development and all the aspects involved in creating a new recipe. Next we’ll have a nutrition module combined with more theory and cooking.
Pros
It’s an excellent programme and the facilities at Marine House are top class. They gave us all laptops at the start. There are only seven of us on the course, and it’s an easy 20-minute commute for me.
Cons
I’m not a fan of paperwork, and for every class in the kitchen during the first semester, we had to type up a work plan of all the ingredients, weights and methods used.
What next?
For now I just want to learn as much as I can, get my QQI Level 6 qualification in April 2020, and continue working as a chef. The course has shown me that there are lots of opportunities for chefs.