As restrictions and lockdowns are lifted and tourism begins, the demand for trained professionals in the service and hospitality industry has increased. But cooking is more than just preparing a meal. It is an avenue for you to gain insight into cultures and traditions from all over the world.
As more people seek out new restaurants, cafes and food experiences, the hospitality industry is needed now more than ever. It is estimated that there will be more than 117,000 chefs in Australia by 2024. You can be a part of this new revolution by studying one of the many commercial cookery courses in Australia. You will learn how to cook various dishes from all over the world thereby enhancing your opportunities to get a great job and follow your dreams. Other benefits of studying cookery courses include:
Many Australian institutions offer certificates in commercial cookery, Certificate III (SIT30816) and Certificate IV (SIT40516).
Certificate III is a one-year course that trains local and international students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to work in a fully equipped commercial kitchen. This program covers maintaining kitchen hygiene practices for health and safety, food preparation and menu planning. You will also be trained on how to develop hospitality industry knowledge, create cost-effective menus and prepare food according to dietary and cultural needs. Essentially, you will learn all the basic skills needed to work as a cook.
Certificate IV is for students who wish to become chefs and manage their own kitchens/commercial cookery and restaurants. You will learn extensive practical food preparation cooking and presentation skills. You will also be taught how to manage a kitchen (budget preparation) and leadership skills (staff rosters). This course will set you up to become a Chef, Chef de partie or Chef de cuisine.
Being a chef takes years of hard work and experience and the industry is very competitive. But when you study cookery courses in Australia, you will learn how to take on the responsibility without losing focus. The hospitality scene is quick-paced and involves highly stressful situations. You will have to think on your feet to solve the problems at hand, whilst keeping an eye on your entire staff and serving your customers at the same time.
Obtaining a diploma in Hospitality Management will teach you how to manage conflict, roster staff, conduct and maintain working business relationships. You will be better equipped to handle your own roster of cooks, sous-chefs, hosts, servers, runners, cashiers and so on. This man-management skill will set you apart from the competition and enable you to handle problems that others will find incredibly difficult to solve.
Most chefs have complete control over the menus, meaning they are in charge of creating and designing the meals. Creativity is vital in this field. You will need an eye for design and a great sense of business when creating your menu. You have to know what the customers in your area (country, region or state) desire if you want to drive up sales and make a profit. Studying cookery courses is a good place to start. Your skills will be refined and your knowledge will be put to the test.
But that isn’t all. Working in an environment such as hospitality will challenge you to become more sociable. Hospitality is all about dealing with people. Many Australian universities teach this as a part of their curriculum in cookery courses. Hence you will learn the communication skills needed to interact and converse with customers, staff and business partners. This will come in handy when you’re faced with working effectively in a high-stress environment.
This is a great benefit from working in a sector that is growing at a fast rate and continually innovating. As an international student, you can work part-time while you study to learn more and gain valuable experience. Thanks to increased demand and a rise in tourism, the hospitality industry is expected to grow. As a result, the demand for more chefs and professionals in the industry is high. High demand leads to competitive salaries so not only will you have a plethora of options to pick from, you will be paid well. The average cook/chef salary in Australia is $58,000 per year or $29.74 per hour and entry-level positions start at $55,000 per year.
Some of the roles you can take on include chef, kitchen-hand, catering, baker, pastry cook, fast food restaurant manager, cook, hotel and restaurant manager.
Chefs, in particular, are listed on the state skilled occupation list for Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, NT and ACT. Once you’ve graduated as an international student, you can launch your career right away through a Temporary Graduate visa. This is designed to provide you with a pathway from study to industry-relevant employment in Australia. This gives you an avenue to explore if you’re looking to acquire permanent residency in Australia.
Enjoying food and fine dining is universal and an activity that traverses race, borders and cultural differences. And those who venture into this field are sought after and get paid handsomely. Getting professionally trained to do this allows you to gain valuable skills that will be useful in life and even in other fields.
So whether you want to become a cook, a chef, or work in tourism and hospitality management, cookery courses are a gold mine of knowledge and expertise that will benefit you in any career path you take.
To pick the right institute and course or to apply for a student visa, contact us today and get started.