Grade 11 students can soon apprentice full-time and still earn their high-school diploma

The Ontario government is preparing young people for in-demand and well-paying careers by allowing students in grade 11 to transition to a full-time, skilled trades apprenticeship program. Upon receiving their Certificate of Apprenticeship, these young workers can apply for their Ontario Secondary School Diploma as mature students. At a time when the province continues to face historic labour shortages, this change means that more students will be able to enter the trades faster than ever before to help build Ontario.

There are compulsory trades and non compulsory trades that includes culinary positions of Chef . Cook and Baker. In Ontario, there are 121 non-compulsory trades. Some examples of non-compulsory trades include Cook, Industrial Electrician and Child Development Practitioner.

To see what ORHMA is doing to inspire our youth to enter hospitality fields, read more about our OHI- We Are Hospitality Program.

Apprenticeships and certification

There are many career benefits to getting an apprenticeship and Certificate of Qualification.

Apprenticeships provide practical, hands-on experience in the skilled trades, allow you to learn from experienced professionals and expand your network of potential employers.

Certificates of Qualification are available in 60 non-compulsory trades and confirm that you have passed the required certifying exam for your trade. Find out if you are eligible to take a certifying exam and get your Certificate of Qualification.

The Red Seal Program sets common standards to assess the skills of skilled trades professionals across Canada. Certificates issued by the Ministry, or the Ontario College of Trades, are still valid. Skilled Trades Ontario does not issue replacements.

If you hold a Certificate of Qualification in a Red Seal trade, you may be eligible to take the Red Seal exam and get the Red Seal endorsement. Find out if your trade is a designated Red Seal trade.

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM – Includes Culinary Positions

An apprenticeship training program consists of on-the-job and in-school training. Generally, the time-frame to become competent in the trade of Assistant Cook is 3,000 hours (approximately one and a half years) consisting of 2,640 hours of on-the-job work experience and 360 hours of in-school training. The program includes On the Job Training and in School Training.

Chef

A Chef:

• Works in restaurants, hotels, entertainment clubs, country clubs, spas, bistros and other assorted eateries;

• Demonstrates knowledge of food preparation and presentation, menu management, sanitation and food safety, and the use of wines, liquors and spirits in cooking.

Pre-requisite required: Ontario Certification of Qualification in the trade of Cook, 415A

Chef is a trade named under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021. This trade has an apprenticeship program that is administered by the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Upon completion of an apprenticeship program, the Ministry issues a Certificate of Apprenticeship. This is the highest level of certification available for the trade. Because there is no certifying exam in this trade, Skilled Trades Ontario does not issue a Certificate of Qualification and therefore cannot accept Trade Equivalency Assessment applications for this trade. Click here for more information.

Cook

A Cook prepares a wide range of foods for public consumption in various settings, for small or large groups or individual dishes in restaurants and test kitchens. Specifically, a Cook:

• prepares, cooks, and assembles food such as meats, salads and dressings, soups, sauces, sandwiches, vegetables, desserts, pastries, baked foods, hot and cold buffets and non-alcoholic beverages

• creates specialty dishes and develops recipes

• performs menu and nutrition planning, food costing, purchasing, scheduling and receiving deliveries and checking product quality and quantity

• estimates food, liquor, wine and other beverage consumption to anticipate purchases or requisitions

• practices according to food safety standards for hygiene, sanitation and safety

Cook is a trade named under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021.

• This trade has an apprenticeship program that is administered by the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Upon completion of an apprenticeship program, the Ministry issues a Certificate of Apprenticeship.

• This trade has a certifying exam. When the certifying exam is passed, Skilled Trades Ontario will issue a Certificate of Qualification in this trade. Because this trade is non-compulsory, this certificate does not have to be renewed, and the information of individuals practicing this trade will not appear on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register.

• In Ontario, the trade is part of the Interprovincial Red Seal Program—the national standard for the trade across Canada: www.red-seal.ca. For more information, click here.

Assistant Cook

An Assistant Cook prepares and cooks a wide range of foods for public consumption in various settings such as restaurants and hotels. Assistant Cook is a trade named under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021. For more information about an assistant cook, click here.

Baker

A Baker prepares and bakes pies, tarts, squares, bread, rolls, cookies, cakes and other items for commercial and retail establishments as well as restaurants. Specifically, a Baker:

This trades have an apprenticeship program that is administered by the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Upon completion of an apprenticeship program, the Ministry issues a Certificate of Apprenticeship. This is the highest level of certification available for these trades. For more information about a baker, click here.