While your life right now is pretty good, you can’t help but wonder if continuing your education wouldn’t be a smart move. Here are some important questions to consider before taking on such a commitment.
Culinary school can be costly. And while the majority of nationally recognized culinary schools offer financial aid remember those student loans will have to be paid back with interest.
Often unless you’re going into some type of highly specialized field such as medicine, law, or computer science, most employers aren’t focused on your college degree major. They just want to see you had the drive, determination and discipline to get through a two or four year college program.
Many professional chefs believe while a culinary school teaches good basic knowledge about the food and beverage industry, it doesn’t provide the solid hands-on experience that comes from actually working in a restaurant.
Thanks to a myriad of reality cooking shows students can have a false sense of what working in the restaurant business is really like. And unfortunately some culinary schools don’t do enough to dispel the fantasy that anyone can become a celebrity chef with a glamorous lifestyle. They don’t talk about the long hours, working nights, weekend and holidays, the daily boring repetition of prep work and most importantly, the low wages that come with entry level food and beverage positions.
Earning a culinary degree doesn’t automatically guarantee a top position. In fact, chances are you will be passed over for even a line cook, server or bartender position if someone with real life experience is also applying. The restaurant business is fast paced and most establishments can’t be bothered trying to train a new employee with no experience.
Looking for some real time experience to help boost your career? Please connect with one of our experienced employment consultants today for more information. Staffing One Services: serving the greater St. Louis area for over 20 years.