Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Food Service Worker Program – A Quickie Credential to Enter the World of Work


The post-secondary food service worker in Toronto program is an extremely concentrated and rigorous program that provides students with the knowledge and skills to be effective members of inter-professional health teams. It’s a thorough curriculum developed to meet the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care regulations and input from professional organizations and healthcare employers.

Not only does this course provides students with the practical aspects of quantity food preparation, food service, nutrition and sanitation practices, customer service and communications but it also offers them a quickie credential to enter the world of work. This is a 15-week, full-time program that deals with both theoretical and practical aspects of food service and nutrition industry and delivery of quality customer service. It combines classroom learning and industry field placement in a healthcare facility.

About Food Service Worker Program

Centennial College’s one-semester program in food service work covers diverse aspects of food preparation and service, including quantity food preparation, meal service, basic therapeutic diets and nutrition, proper sanitation practices, effective communication and quality customer service.

It incorporates classroom learning, hands-on-lab, WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials information System) training, and a field placement in an industrial setting. The course is based on the document developed by members of Dieticians of Canada and the Ontario Society of Nutrition Management, and therefore, meets current government standards and employer requirements.

The program includes a wide range of courses, including:
  • The Role of Food Service Worker
  • Workplace Communications
  • Safety and Sanitation
  • Nutrition in Healthcare
  • Kitchen Equipment and Food Preparation

Benefits of the Program

The graduates of this course are capable of:
  • Applying the principles of human nutrition to food production in the healthcare food service environment
  • Applying the standards and principles of diet therapy to the assembly of therapeutic meals in the healthcare food service environment
  • Providing a safe and healthy dietary environment, by adhering to government and departmental regulations relating to food safety and hazard prevention
  • Functioning within the food service worker’s scope of practice to support the goals of healthcare food service
  • Carrying out cost control techniques in food preparation and service
  • Implementing cooking principles and techniques in quantity food preparation

Enrolment Guide

In order to enrol in this program, you will need:
  • Secondary school diploma or equivalent
  • English Grade 12

After admission, you will need to:
  • Submit annual clear police check with vulnerable sector screening
  • Take mask fit testing
  • Submit a pre-clearance health form completed by a physician or nurse practitioner stating that you meet the health requirements of legislated acts, ministry guidelines and agency policies

Upon course completion, you can either pursue your career or enrol in a food service degree program to study further. Additionally, you can also obtain the Train Can Basics.fst Food Safety Certificate. It is accepted by Toronto Public Health as an equivalent to their Food Handlers Certificate.

Career Prospects

The graduates of this program can find employment in diverse healthcare settings, including but not limited to:
  • Long term care facilities
  • Retirement homes
  • Hospitals
  • Healthcare cafeterias
  • Nursing homes
  • Food service contractors
  • Specialty care facilities

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