Contributed to The Chief
Susan Redman has more choices than ever these days. Since completing the Howe Sound Cooks Training program at Capilano College, the 樱桃视频resident now has 55 countries worldwide where she can choose to work.
After spending seven years as a cook and dietary aide at the 樱桃视频General Hospital, Redman lost her job when the facility's operations were privatized.
"I immediately enrolled in the cooks training program at Capilano College," she said. "While taking it, I applied for a new position at the hospital as dietary supervisor and got the post before I'd even completed my practicum."
Redman started straight away, completing the co-op portion of the College program on her own time. Within days, she was promoted to the position of site manager.
Her employer, Sodexho, provides food and facilities management services worldwide. It operates at more than 500 locations in Canada alone, including corporations, educational institutions and health care organizations.
"There are lots of opportunities with this organization," Redman said. "My lead chef is from England and he worked for the same company there. People are from all walks of life, from all over the world."
Taking the cooks training program was the catalyst that moved the 52-year-old into her new career. Along with providing a unique training opportunity to high school students, the program also provides training to local residents who are unemployed due to downsizing and layoffs. Many people laid off in the health sector, forestry sector and from BC Rail are using the program as a new career path.
"The great thing about the program is that graduates can do a lot of things," explained Casey Dorin, dean of Capilano College's 樱桃视频campus. "They can do an apprenticeship or go right into work. The career path over the long run is really good in this field."
The 2010 Olympic Games are expected to create a huge demand for certain occupations, chief among them workers in food-related services. Chefs and cooks are two of the occupations with the highest incremental growth projected from 2003 to 2015.
"I took the five-month program because I waned to be certified," Redman said. "It really helped me with my new job. Once you have that program, you can continue to advance."
She added that while the training is short, it really packs in a lot of information. It also included some fun field trips to Vancouver Community College's Culinary Arts department and to the Dubrulle International Culinary Arts School.
"Our instructor, chef Chris Gray, was fantastic," she said. "He did such a great job that some of my classmates decided to continue their culinary training. One was even accepted into the prestigious Cordon Bleu culinary school in Ontario."
The cooks training program at Capilano College is unique because out of the 14 students accepted, seven were from high school and the rest came from the community at large. Howe Sound Secondary rearranged students' schedules so that they had their high school credits completed by January, enabling them to do the College program from February to June.
Redman, a mother of two grown daughters, said she was a bit nervous about being so much older than many of her classmates. But she saw an opportunity for change and ran with it. Today, she has a job that offers her all the challenges she thrives upon.
"In my position I hire, fire, train, do scheduling, ordering, and work on the menus," she said. "I'm responsible for 24 acute beds and 65 seniors in an extended, intermediate and special care facility. I really enjoy satisfying all the different dietary needs and have three chefs and 11 dietary aides reporting to me."
When she's not at work, Redman spends her time with her husband gardening and boating. Their love of the water may see them transferring to Sechelt some time down the road.
"Sodexho has a partnership with two organizations on the Sunshine Coast and now that I have my certification, I can go anywhere and be a relief cook. I can do many things with my papers."
