SUBJECTS
Catering & Hospitality Services
Food for thought
Hospitality is crucial to the UK Economy. It is the UK’s 3rd largest private sector employer – that’s 3.2 million people or 10% of the workforce in over 180,000 businesses across the UK. This means that the opportunities in this industry are vast…head chef, baker, restaurant manager, patisserie chef, catering manager, business owner… the possibilities are endless.
From getting creative to making someone’s day, to gaining transferable skills, there are loads of reasons why you should develop a career in Hospitality & Catering. It’s not your average 9-5, there are so many routes into the industry, and it opens up a door to limitless opportunities.
Whether you’re passionate about pastry, have always dreamed of running a hotel, or you simply just love cooking and food, you’re in the right place.
Whichever specialism you choose, we can ensure you’re going to be using first-class, industry-standard facilities to develop the technical skills required to take your next steps.
Our Level 2 & 3 Professional Cookery courses are now partnered with Silverstone!
Professional Cookery
Food is a necessity, but it’s also a joy and can turn someone’s bad day into a good one. The industry is prestigious and competitive, and the opportunities are endless.
From technical cooking skills working as a chef in the different sections to overseeing the daily operations of the kitchen and crafting menus, this is no ordinary 9-5 job. You could do anything from working as a street food vendor to working with Michelin star chefs in award-winning restaurants.
Bakery & Patisserie
Whether you’ve got a passion for pastry, or you’ve watched the Great British Bake Off and think you could do a better job, working in the bakery & patisserie industry opens up the door to a world of decadence, prestige and opportunity *chef’s kiss*.
From French patisserie to extravagant desserts, you’ll experience designing, creating, and presenting a wide variety of dishes
Taught by award-winning patisserie chefs at The Claire Clark Academy, you’ll have unique work experience opportunities to give you an insight into the industry.
Hospitality
From hotels and restaurants to luxury resorts in tropical destinations, working in this industry will offer you true flexibility and variety when it comes to your daily job.
Working with chefs to curate menus, organising rotas, and getting stuck in with lots of different jobs in and out of the kitchen will see you develop lots of transferable and communication skills.
Strong leadership, numerical skills and awareness of health and safety are essential to succeed in this industry.
What are the career opportunities?
We’ve partnered with Silverstone Circuits to offer you a truly unique opportunity. You’ll be learning from and actually experiencing life at a number of events at Silverstone, including the Grand Prix. With this, alongside day-to-day life in The Brasserie and The Claire Clark Academy, you’re going to finish college with a CV any young chef or baker would be envious of.
Jobs you could get include:
- Sous Chef
- Head Chef
- Head Waiter
- Head of Hospitality & Events
- Pastry Chef
- Patisserie Chef
- Chef de Partie
What are the steps to get there?
Once you’ve completed your Level 3 qualification, there are lots of different options open to you. What you choose to do depends on your goal – have you got your mindset on a certain specialism, or do you want to develop more technical knowledge first? Your options are:
Undergraduate Study
Higher education could be a good option for you if you want to go down the hospitality management pathway. If this is your goal, make sure you do your research on universities and courses.
Employment
Through your work experience, you would’ve made lots of industry contacts that you can rely on for employment. You could also apply for junior or assistant roles and learn from the more experienced staff, working your way up.
Apprenticeships
Take what you’ve learnt on your course and apply it to a role within the industry, where you will experience life in the workplace a few days a week, as well as continue to learn in college.
Catering & Hospitality Courses
Apprenticeships Available In This Area
The Brasserie
Work, learn and experience life in a busy, award-winning cafe and restaurant.
Claire Clark Academy
Our industry-standard patisserie kitchen is full to the brim with the latest gadgets and equipment used by the professionals.
Intermediate or Advanced?
You may have seen our courses split up into Intermediate and Advanced. Here’s the lowdown on what they mean…
Intermediate
This level of study is equivalent to Level 1 & 2.
This will offer you a dedicated support system to prepare you for progression. You will develop your knowledge, skills and confidence in your chosen specialism, encouraged by your tutors and peers. Your experiences will enable you to decide what you want to do next, whether it’s an apprenticeship or an Advanced (Level 3) study programme at College, you will discover the wide range of options open to you.
Advanced
This level of study is equivalent to Level 3.
Put your passion for your chosen subject into action with a variety of work experience opportunities. You’ll put your skills and knowledge to the test by taking on work experience in your chosen industry, getting an insight into what life in that career will be like. You’ll develop your learning at College, taking full advantage of our industry-standard facilities. Professionalism is a must for advanced programmes, as you will be making contacts and opening doors for yourself which could lead to something extraordinary.
Higher
This level of study is equivalent to Level 4, 5 & 6, and is only for people who have already completed an Advanced (Level 3) qualification (BTEC or A Level or equivalent).
Take your career to the next step with undergraduate qualifications, from HNCs to BA Degrees. Focus on your specialism, developing advanced technical, practical and research skills to prepare you for a fulfilling and successful career. With expert lecturers, small class sizes and access to facilities mirroring industry, get ready to become an expert in your chosen field.