the professional cook apprentice guide for · pdf filethe professional cook apprentice guide...

1

THE PROFESSIONAL COOK APPRENTICE GUIDE FOR BC

2 3

Congratulations! You’re on your way to an exciting and rewarding career as a professional cook. Becoming a certified cook in BC means you can progress in your career, from entry-level positions all the way to becoming a respected chef.Look out, Bruno Marti.

Whether you’re planning to work in a restaurant, a fishing lodge, on a

cruise ship or in a hotel kitchen, everything you need to know to guide

you through the apprenticeship process is in your hands.

4 5

ONE CERTIFICATION, TWO PATHSSo you’ve decided that you would like to achieve a professional cook certification. The next step is determining which pathway is right for you. Depending on your background and current situation there are two options: complete an apprenticeship or challenge the credential.

Both pathways require that you gain experience on the job, take

training to learn the skills, and complete an assessment process, but

how you do that is really up to you. Let’s walk through your two options.

6 7

QUALIFIERS DESCRIPTION

Training Entry can be either through a designated training program or through an employer.

Work Experience

It can be completed on the job with a qualified tradesperson i.e. Cook Certificate of Qualification (C of Q), Red Seal Cook, or Professional Cook 3 with Red Seal endorsement; Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC); or someone who has applied for and been granted permission by the ITA for Supervision and Sign-off Authority.Hours are recorded by the sponsor in ITA Direct Access.

Assessments Provincial written and practical assessments are conducted by the training provider at the end of each level of school

Achievements

After achieving the above and having the required hours signed off by the sponsor, you will receive:• Provincial Certificate of Apprenticeship (C of A)• Provincial Certificate of Qualification (C of Q, with Red Seal

endorsement at the Professional Cook 3 level)

APPRENTICESHIP:

You have limited work experience and want formal training as well as

mentorship on-the-job to work towards a credential.

QUALIFIERS DESCRIPTION

TrainingThere is no formal training required. You may have completed informal training on-the-job or through part-time, non-designated courses.

Work Experience

A minimum number of documented hours are required, and the work experience must show you have covered the scope of the credential you are challenging. The work experience can be verified by your former employer(s), or completed by you and notarized if you were self-employed, or past employers are unavailable to complete the documentation. You will need to provide references for hours that cannot be verified by the employer directly.

Assessments Provincial written and practical assessments are conducted by an ITA-designated training provider or assessment venue

AchievementsAfter achieving the above, you will receive:• Provincial Certificate of Qualification (C of Q, with Red Seal

endorsement at the Professional Cook 3 level)

CHALLENGE:

You have substantial experience in the trade, with a variety of employers

that may or may not have had recognized credentials. Challenging is

about demonstrating your knowledge and skills on-the-job. You can

challenge the highest level for which you have achieved the scope of

experience required.

As you build your career in cooking, you may start out working in industry to gain

experience, then challenge a certificate or move into an apprenticeship. You can also

start out in a training program. There are options to move between challenge and

apprenticeship, but certain incentives only apply to registered apprentices.

8 9

Professional Cook apprenticeship

combines culinary arts training,

classroom learning and hands-

on experience. There are three

levels of certification: Professional

Cook 1 (PC1), Professional Cook\2

(PC2), and Professional Cook 3

(PC3, which includes the Red Seal

endorsement).

As an apprentice you need to

complete each level to proceed

LET’S TALK ABOUT PROFESSIONAL COOK APPRENTICESHIP

to the next. The great news? Each

level carries its own provincial

Certificate of Qualification and

many employers are looking

to hire cooks with PC1 or PC2

because it’s just the level they

need. When you’re ready to

advance in your career, you can

always come back and pick up

where you left off.

To progress through PC1 and PC2 to PC3, you will need to register with your sponsor after you achieve each credential. If you have any questions, go2hr, the resource for BC’s tourism, hospitality and foodservice sectors, is there to help you, every step of the way.

10 11

THE THREE LEVELS AT A GLANCE:

PROFESSIONAL COOK 1 (PC1)



Usually works in a supervised environment, and performs basic cooking and food preparation tasks

Works under some supervision, and performs a variety of cooking and food preparation tasks using multiple cooking methods

Meets all the requirements of the national “Cook” Red Seal standard, and usually works under limited supervision

WH

AT

AR

E Y

OU

R W

OR

KP

LAC

E S

KIL

LS? • Teamwork and

communication• Workplace and food safety• Use of tools and equipment• Knife cuts• Trimming and portioning

meat, poultry, and seafood• Following and adjusting

recipes• Basic terminology and

nutrition• Basic cooking and baking

techniques• Receiving and storage

procedures

All PC1 skills plus:• Preparing food for

allergies and special diets• Volume cooking • Deboning meat, poultry

and seafood• Basic cost calculations• Basic menu planning• Taking inventory

All PC1 and 2 skills plus:• Specialty cooking methods• Maintaining food safety

systems• Food and labour costing• Basic teambuilding,

leadership and supervision skills

• Buffet presentation and design

• Basic wine knowledge and selection

WH

AT

CA

N Y

OU

MA

KE

FR

OM

SC

RA

TCH

?

• Basic stocks, soups and sauces• Common vegetables and

fruits• Basic potato, rice, and pasta

dishes• Basic meat, poultry and

seafood dishes• Salads, salad dressings, and

sandwiches• Eggs and breakfast items• Basic pies and tarts, and

cookies• Fruit desserts and custards• Basic quick and yeast breads• Coffee and tea products

All PC1 items plus:• Specialty soups and

secondary sauces• Specialty vegetables and

vegetarian dishes• Specialty potato, pasta

and grain dishes• Meat, poultry and seafood

dishes for volume functions

• Specialty salads and dressings

• Hors d’oeuvre and appetizers

• Presentation platters• Pastries, cakes and

cheesecakes

All PC 1 and 2 items plus:• Specialty and ethnic

sauces• Game and variety meats• Specialty and classic meat,

poultry and seafood dishes• Pates, terrines, basic

sausage making, curing, and smoking

• Hot and specialty plated desserts

• Specialty cakes and tortes• Frozen desserts, ice creams

and sorbets• Basic chocolate and sugar

garnishes

WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO COMPLETE AN APPRENTICESHIP?

1. Find an appropriate sponsor:

a. Workplace-entry through an employer;

b. Institution-entry through an ITA designated post-secondary

culinary arts program; or

c. Institution-entry through a high school Accelerated Credit

Enrolment in Industry Training (ACE IT) program

2. Register as an apprentice

3. Achieve/Record the required workplace experience

4. Attend technical training:

a. Complete and successfully pass the training

b. Write and pass the Certificate of Qualification or Inter-Provincial

(Red Seal) exam

c. Succeed in the required ITA standardized practical assessment

5 Obtain Sign-Off (Recommendation for Certification)

From your sponsor and the appropriate qualified tradesperson,

that you have achieved all the requirements and are performing

at the required skill level.

12 13

At Professional Cook 1 and\2,

your sponsor can be either

your employer or your training

institution. Some high schools can

also be sponsors, if they offer the

ACE IT program. For a complete

listing of approved training

institutions that offer PC1 and

PC2 training in BC, visit itabc.ca/

training-providers/overview.

An employer sponsor must have

a qualified tradesperson to guide

apprentices: Cook Certificate

of Qualification (C of Q), Red

Seal Cook, Professional Cook/3

WHO CAN BE A SPONSOR, AND WHAT IS THEIR ROLE?

with Red Seal endorsement,

Certified Chef de Cuisine, or

ITA designated supervision and

sign-off authority. This is the

person who directs your training

and—when you’ve completed

your program requirements

at each level—signs your

Recommendation for Certification.

Employer sponsors provide you

with the opportunity to learn

on the job. You might work with

one sponsor during your whole

apprenticeship or several as you

advance your career.

Your sponsor’s role will be to:

• Ensure you receive training

and practical experience,

covering the scope of your

industry training program,

under the supervision of a

qualified tradesperson.

• Enable you to attend the

required technical training

(six weeks per credential).

Plan to attend training when

it is convenient for both your

sponsor and you to take time

off of work.

For detailed information on how to complete an apprenticeship, please go to: go2hr.ca/training/apprenticeship

• Submit your workplace hours

regularly to ITA.

• Recommend certification

when you have met all the

completion requirements for

the apprenticeship program

you’re registered in.

14 15

HOW DO I FIND A SPONSOR?If your current employer does not have certification or credentials, ask

them to consider applying for Supervision and Sign-off Authority, which

would give them the ability to sponsor you. If you are not currently

employed, check with the secondary or post-secondary culinary arts

schools in your area, local businesses you would like to work at, or tap

into your personal networks of friends and family to see if they know

any employers that have apprentices, or have Red Seal/tradespersons

on staff to potentially sponsor you. Visit go2hr.ca to view job openings

in your trade on the go2hr Job Board, or stories and employer profiles,

to help you identify potential sponsors. If you have tried all these

options, please contact go2hr to see if we can help.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY SPONSOR CHANGES?If your sponsor changes, follow these steps:

1. Check with your old sponsor to make sure that all of your workplace

hours with them have been reported to the ITA.

2. You and your new sponsor will register with the ITA either using

ITA Direct Access or by completing the Apprentice and Sponsor

Registration Form. This is the same process and paperwork you have

completed with your original sponsor when you first registered for

apprenticeship.

WHAT IF I’M HAVING TROUBLE GETTING TIME OFF FOR MY TECHNICAL TRAINING?Your sponsor is required to make it possible for you to attend technical

training, which may include releasing you from work. You will need to

talk to your sponsor about setting up a schedule that will allow you to

attend, and the more lead time you can give your sponsor, the better.

They have to plan their schedules, too!

Did you know apprenticeship training is available throughout the province? To view locations, access schedules, and register online visit: tradestrainingbc.ca

16 17

HOW DO I KEEP TRACK OF MY PROGRESS?Each time you complete a step in your PC1, PC2, or PC3 program, the ITA will send an official transcript to both you and your sponsor.

What’s a step? For example, if the

ITA receives an update that your

sponsor submits the workplace

hours that you’ve achieved, that’s

a step. Or, let’s say you complete

your technical training. That’s

another step. Other steps in your

program include completing your

practical assessment and writing

your final exam. For each step the

ITA will update your transcript,

which you can review online

through ITA Direct Access.

Take control of your education:

• Ensure you are registered

for an account in ITA Direct

Access so you can access your

records online, and update

any changes to your contact

information such as change

of address, phone number, or

email address.

• Check with your sponsor that

your workplace hours are

being reported to the ITA. You

can help by keeping a record

of your hours and when your

sponsor should be reporting

them to the ITA.

• Review the technical training

schedules and work with your

sponsor to plan your time off

to take your technical training.

• When you have completed all

the program requirements,

check to see if your sponsor

has received, completed and

returned the Recommendation for Certification form.

• Visit go2hr.ca if you need more

detailed information

Once all your work-based training,

technical training and other

program requirements have been

completed, and you’ve passed

the practical assessment and

final exam, the ITA sends your

sponsor a Recommendation for Certification (RFC) form.

Your sponsor is responsible

for deciding whether or not to

recommend you for certification.

If your sponsor is confident that

you are performing at the skill

level required, they will sign and

send the completed RFC to ITA,

who then sends your PC1, PC2 or

PC3 certificate to your sponsor

to sign and present to you.

Congratulations!!

Your sponsor can also decide

not to recommend certification

if they believe you need more

experience to perform at the skill

level required. They must provide

the reasons for this decision and

create a training plan to help you

build the skills and knowledge

that you lack, as well as suggest

a future date for the ITA to send

another Recommendation for

Certification form.

HOW DO I RECEIVE MY CERTIFICATE?

18 19

WHO’S IN CHARGE OF WHAT?As you make your way through the apprenticeship process, you’ll be dealing with:

Industry Training Authority (ITA)

– the ITA is a provincial Crown

corporation established in 2004

by the Industry Training Authority

Act. It is responsible for leading

and coordinating the skilled

trades training and credentialing

system for British Columbia (BC),

providing strategic leadership,

policy support and customer

services to help apprentices,

employers and industry. ITA sets

program standards, maintains

credential records and issues the

highly regarded Interprovincial

Red Seal and BC Certificate of

Qualification (C of Q) credentials.

Industry Training Organizations

(ITOs) – working in partnership

with ITA, they are established

and run by industry sectors. They

focus on understanding the trades

training needs for their sector,

and on making recommendations

to ITA and training providers to

improve the industry training

system.

go2hr – the ITO for BC’s tourism,

hospitality and foodservice

sectors, go2hr is BC’s tourism

human resources association

responsible for coordinating

the BC Tourism Labour Market

Strategy, go2hr supports the

growth and success of the tourism

industry by developing strategies

to help tourism and hospitality

businesses in recruiting, retaining,

and training employees. go2hr

manages the Professional Cook,

Baker, Meatcutter and Tidal

Angling Guide programs. It also

administers Serving it Right, BC’s

responsible beverage service

program, and FOODSAFE Level 1

by Correspondence.

ITA Designated Training Provider

– an individual or organization

that provides training services

and has been designated by

ITA to deliver a specific course

and level of training for an ITA

industry training program. Training

providers may be public or private

secondary and post-secondary

schools, or private institutions.

20 21

IS THERE GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR APPRENTICES?Employment Insurance

Apprentices registered with the ITA may be eligible for temporary

financial supports while they attend ITA approved training for their

apprenticeship. For more information, visit the ITA website at itabc.ca/

grants-tax-credits/employment-insurance.

Federal Tax Credits & Grants

1. Tradesperson’s Tool Deduction: As a trades apprentice, you can

deduct some of the costs of your tools, up to a total of $500 per

year.

2. Apprenticeship Incentive Grant*: Once you achieve your PC1 or

PC2 credential, you are eligible to receive a taxable cash grant of

$1,000 per year, up to a maximum of $2,000 per person.

3. Apprenticeship Completion Grant: When you complete your

PC3/Red Seal, you will earn an additional $2,000 from the federal

government.

PROFESSIONAL COOK LEVEL

REGULAR ENHANCED

1 N/A* $500**

2 N/A* $500**

3 $2,000 $3,000

* The federal government provides an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant of $1,000 to

apprentices in the first two years of a Red Seal program, so BC does not provide a

Training Tax Credit for completing the first two levels of a Red Seal program.

** This amount is in addition to the federal grant

For more details and instructions on how to apply:

go2hr.ca/GovFinancialSupport

Provincial Tax Credits

1. British Columbia Training Tax Credit: Until December 31, 2014,

you can qualify for a tax credit of up to $4,000 to help pay for your

certification. This is available to both apprentices and challengers.

For Indians registered under the Indian Act or challengers eligible

for the Disability Tax Credit, they will be eligible to receive the

enhanced tax credits. Please see the following chart lists for more

detail:

22 23

SUMMARY

ITEMPROFESSIONAL COOK 1 (PC1)



Prerequisites • FOODSAFE Level 1 • FOODSAFE Level 1• PC1 certification

• FOODSAFE Level 1• PC2 certification

Institution-entry apprentice program through

post-secondary institution

(hours)

• Technical training: 840 hours or 28 weeks

• Work-based training: 400 hours of work-based training outside of the program

• Technical training: 420 hours or 14 weeks

• Work-based training: 760 hours of work-based training outside of the program

• Not available

Workplace- entry apprentice

(hours)

• Technical training: Average of 180 hours or 6 weeks

• Work- based training: 1,000 hours


• Work- based training: 2,000 hours total


• Work- based training: 5,000 hours total

Forms

• Registration form to start PC1

• Work-Based Training Report to record hours

• Recommendation for Certification Form for PC1







Completion requirements

• In-school mark: 70%• Practical assessment: pass• Certificate of Qualification

exam: 70%

• In-school mark: 70%• Practical assessment: pass• Certificate of Qualification

exam: 70%

• In-school mark: 70%• Practical assessment: pass• Red Seal exam: 70%

Challenge option

• 1,000 work-based hours• FOODSAFE Level 1• Employer verification• Practical assessment: pass• Certificate of Qualification

exam: 70%

• 2,000 work-based hours (or PC1 plus 1,000 hours)

• FOODSAFE Level 1• Employer verification• Practical assessment: pass• Certificate of Qualification

exam: 70%

• 5,000 work-based hours (or PC2 plus 3,000 hours or PC1 plus 4,000 hours)

• FOODSAFE Level 1• Employer verification• Practical assessment: pass• Inter-Provincial (Red Seal) exam: 70%

Where is this credential

recognized?

BC – Other provinces will give credit towards apprenticeship training

BC – Other provinces will give credit towards apprenticeship training

BC and Canada

WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH LEVEL OF PROFESSIONAL COOK?You’ll find detailed descriptions of PC1, PC2 and PC3 in the ITA

Program Profiles and Program Outlines. Go to itabc.ca and follow

Discover Apprenticeship Programs > Trade Programs to find the

appropriate links for each Professional Cook Program.

You can also go to go2hr.ca/cook for detailed information on career

paths and salary information.

Remember, you can find all this information and more on the web! Visit itabc.ca for forms, lists of training institutions and program descriptions. tradestrainingbc.ca will give you training program locations and schedules. And, for apprenticeship support as well as the latest industry information and job postings, visit go2hr.ca.

24

Suite 450 - 505 Burrard Street

P.O. Box 59 Vancouver, BC V7X 1M3

Tel: 604 633 9787

Fax: 604 633 9796

Web: go2hr.ca

Photos throughout this document are from: Canadian Tourism Commission, Glowbal Restaurant Group,

The Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown, YEW Restaurant

the professional cook apprentice guide for · pdf filethe professional cook apprentice guide...

Documents