COLLEGE of Further Education principal Trevor Wakefield says the island’s catering industry must support its future chefs.
Many apprentices are forced to work long hours and the college has issued guidelines for employers to help ease the lot of staff. They include a recommended minimum wage, proper breaks and compensation for overtime. ‘We can’t dictate to an employer what they do, but these are what we are suggesting.’
Steve Bacon is head of catering at the college. ‘Steve is trying to say, “come on, we’ve got a brilliant opportunity here for you, take it”,’ said Mr Wakefield (pictured), himself a former catering apprentice.
He added that improvements were being made, but it was still a difficult industry. ‘It tends to attract very passionate people, those who live and breathe their work.’
The apprenticeship scheme, under which students are supposed to be released from work one day per week for college, has been described as the jewel in the crown of the education system by UK inspectors.
Mr Wakefield said the focus had to be on encouraging local people into the trade. ‘There are issues around temporary licences. If someone is working on a one- or two-year licence, employers don’t see them as a priority,’ he said.
The Education Department pays £450 per student, per term to employers who take on an apprentice on condition they can attend 80% of college classes.
‘We want to grow our own qualified staff and if you want good staff, you have to train them,’ said Alma Harradine, the college’s apprenticeship scheme manager. She added that it was a minority of employers who were not sticking to the rules.
Apprentices keep a diary which the college monitors and both employer and student complete six-monthly appraisal forms.
If a student approaches Mrs Harradine with a problem, she has to have their permission before approaching the employer.
‘Guernsey employers are wonderful – I can’t praise them enough. They give up a lot of their time to help with the scheme,’ she said.
The Michelin-star apprentice
South African Spencer Sykes, 25, is a third-year apprentice working at Christophe. He works up to five-and-a-half days a week – 60-65 hours – and spends half a day a week at college. He currently earns £15,000 a year.
‘Christophe is a good teacher. If I need to know how to do something, he doesn’t say to look it up in a book – he would rather teach you himself.’
He said he had seen a lot of people come and go. ‘Some don’t last a week. You have to be up to scratch.’
Mr Sykes said he had learnt a lot from the apprentice scheme but did not always make the college day each week. ‘Sometimes, when we have big functions on, I volunteer to work rather than go to college. Sometimes they ask, but mostly I volunteer,’ he said.
Mr Sykes is on a work permit and Immigration will issue him one until 2011 – but he said Housing was unlikely to issue him with a licence for a fourth year, which means he will have to leave in September.
‘I’ll finish my apprenticeship in June but will have to leave the island, which is a shame. I’d love to stay.’
The ex-apprentice
Head chef at Christies Bar & Bistro Aidan Le Poidevin, 25, said apprentices should not be given an unrealistic view of the industry.
He completed his apprenticeship at La Fregate in 2001.
‘I started on £80 a week and was working 92 hours a week,’ he said.
He said that however good the guidelines were, they were never going to work.
‘It’s a good idea, but apprentices have to know what the real world is like. You have to work hard and keep your head down.
‘Places just aren’t going to be able to pay hourly and it’s not just about money, it’s about enjoying what you do,’ he said.
He is the only one of his class of 18 still in the industry and only two completed the apprenticeship. ‘It’s hard work, a lot of pressure and very stressful. If a kid goes into it doing 35 hours a week, 8am-5pm, they are going to have unrealistic expectations when they are looking for a job,’ he said.
The former apprentice turned teacher
James Ferguson, 32, sous chef and course leader of the cookery school at Sueco, completed his apprenticeship at Hotel de Havelet.
He worked split shifts five days a week of 8am to 2pm and 5pm to 10.30pm, with one day for college work.
‘The industry needs a shake-up in general, but it’s difficult to know what the answer is.
‘Something needs to be done to make it more accessible,’ he said.
He said it was impossible to compare the wages with industries such as finance.
‘More people would go into it if the money and hours were better.
‘The downside of catering is that all your mates are at the beach or out in the evening and you are working, but that’s the nature of the job.’
Sueco currently has one second-year apprentice and a first-year is joining in September.
‘You get a more joined-up picture of catering than if you go to college full time. You experience the pressure of a real kitchen with people shouting at you. Maybe you shouldn’t, but that’s the way things are.’
Article posted on 12th June, 2008 - 2.29pm
Loading ...
Most Commented: