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| *Ostroff, Fair and Company>>>Food Service |
Are career specialization certificates (diplomas) a waste of money? |
I was looking to pursue some classes in the culinary arts. There are (what they call) career specialization programs where you concentrate on an aspect of culinary arts that most interests you...ex baking, cooking, management etc. These courses are 17 credits (instead of the associate degree program where you learn everything about culinary arts...that is 66 credits) I wanted to do the baking/pastry course to gain more credentials than I have already in food service...i know nothing technical about baking or pastries. so do you guys think these certificates are hooey or a worthwhile investment? If I applied to a bakery, supermarket or private..or if i worked for a catering company would i get the job over any other entry level person if i had this? also (yes i know the actual degree would be better) but i can't afford it...no i don't want a 21 thousand dollar loan...do you..that's a lot of money when you make 8 bucks an hour and nobody can help you out. Why don't you go to a couple of supermarket bakeries, and maybe a private bakery or two, and ask the manager whether they would give any preference to someone with one of these certificates? No. They are worth doing. Especially in culinary arts. You would definitely command a better starting pay with a pastry or baking cert. I would imagine it would be the difference between making $8 an hour and making $12. Experience will get you more. They are beneficial to you if you want to specialize in an area. The reality of culinary employment is not in school at all. School is for those who have been working in the industry for a few years and are ready to climb the ladder. If you go to school without working in the business first, you will be wasting your time and money. Go to your local bakery and get any job they have, if you love the hours and the heat, learn everything you can. After you have been in the business a couple of years, you should think about school. A degree will actually HURT your chances of emp[loyment if you have no experience in the field. Many happy years in the back of the house. |
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