Case Studies
Bootle High School (Merseyside)
Type of Employer: | School Meals Service |
Learner's Occupation: | School Meal Kitchen Assistants (5 Learners) |
Region: | North West, Merseyside |
Course Details: | Level 2 NVQ in Food Processing & Cooking |
A Brief History:
Bootle High School is closing down next year, which means that all those currently working as part of the school meals service will be seeking alternative employment. The employer wanted to provide the staff with an opportunity to gain vocationally relevant qualifications to support them in their development but more importantly to find suitable jobs once the school has closed.
Employer Objectives
- Staff to gain a nationally recognised qualification
- Improve staff morale under such difficult circumstances
- Encourage staff to remain with the service until the school closes
- Increase skills and confidence of staff
- Minimum disruption to the operation of the school kitchen
Learner's Objectives
- Gain a qualification to improve the chances of getting a job once the school closes
- Increase self confidence
- Learn more about cooking and running a kitchen
Achievements & Outcomes
For the Employer:
- Staff are more aware of their responsibilities, which leaves the manager able to concentrate on the business side
- Increased staff confidence
- Greater awareness of hazards, health & safety and food hygiene
- Staff have taken on additional responsibilities including stock control and cooking
- The team is fully qualified and can be relied on
- The course met the staff needs as it was work based and fitted in around their work and family commitments
- The qualifications are really worth while; gaining the NVQ level 2 will improve their chances of getting a new job next year
For the Learner:
- Increased self confidence and able to work on own initiative
- Increased awareness and understanding of food hygiene and health & safety
- A better understanding of the day to day running of the kitchen, including stock control
- Cooking has become something to enjoy both at work and at home
- More confident with the forthcoming job search
- Understanding of job role and it’s importance (not just a dinner lady)
- Enjoyed the course, would recommend it to anybody and keen to continue developing skills and experience
Testimonials
For the Employer:
For the Learner:
