A new Modern Apprenticeships has been launched by the Tennent's Training Academy in Glasgow, for chefs under the age of 25, in full-time employment in the Scottish hospitality industry.
It's a 12-month program which won't cost them a penny, offered under the government's Modern Apprentice scheme.
What makes this apprenticeship course different from other chef training is that apprentices can sign up at any time of the year, undertake 11 masterclasses at the Academy - on the site of the Tennent's Brewery - and go out on regular field trips to learn the best way of sourcing the ingredients they need.
Not only that, their training extends to their own workplace, where qualified tutors visit them on a regular basis and work with them, running through a particular topic, teaching skills and answering any questions they may have.
Tutors work with the head chef to make the apprenticeship as relevant as possible to that particular kitchen, and deal with the documentation involved in building up the apprentice's cooking "portfolio", leaving trainees to concentrate much more on their cooking than they'd otherwise be able to.
With this apprenticeship comes membership of the Federation of Chefs for Scotland, together with a Level 2 or 3 Scottish Vocational Qualification in Professional Cookery.
Mark Porter, lead chef SVQ assessor came up with the idea. He says: "It was born out of what I felt was a social responsibility. A lot of the best chefs and the best people in our industry just tend to go out and work, like I did.
“I wanted to just try and work at the best restaurant I possibly could and I missed out on my qualifications. Later on in life, as I tried to move into teaching, it hampered me - I had to go back and do them. So as soon as I heard about the Modern Apprenticeship Scheme and the funding that's available, I jumped at the chance."
