FEA offers free CFSP training for unemployed hospitality professionals

The Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) is offering its Certified Foodservice Professional (CFSP) accreditation course for free to people from the hospitality industry whose roles have been made redundant as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and are looking for work within the industry.

There are 40 places available on the course, which usually costs £950+VAT. Half of the places are reserved for those who worked the foodservice supply chain, with the remaining 20 spots for those who worked in the foodservice operator sector. The course will run in March 2021.

Simon Frost, chair of the FEA’s Education Advisory Group, said: “We wanted to reach out to people across the hospitality industry who are unemployed and looking for work. The CFSP: Open for Work course is a chance for them to increase their knowledge of the foodservice industry as a whole and, hopefully, help them to secure a new job.”

Sally Beck, general manager of the Royal Lancaster London, has welcomed the initiative, and added: “It’s a great thing to be able to say when potential employers ask you what you did during Covid-19.”

The CFSP scheme is internationally recognised, with the UK programme run by FEA, accredited by Highfield Qualifications and the University of West London, and certified by the CPD Certification Service. The CFSP programme is relevant to manufacturers, consultants, distributors and operators. Over 600 people are now accredited in the UK.

The course’s objective is to support, develop and increase levels of knowledge within the industry by giving foodservice professionals a complete understanding of how catering businesses and commercial kitchens work. The course consists of a comprehensive study guide and two half-day seminars, which are followed by an exam.

CFSP: Open for Work will feature the same content as the standard CFSP course and will be led by Graham Veal, founder and managing partner of GCA Management. Veal has worked in the foodservice industry for over 25 years and is an experienced business coach.

The CFSP: Open for Work seminars take place on Zoom on 15-16 March, with the exam to be held on 17 March. The exam venue will be confirmed in the New Year.

The application form can be downloaded here and for more information click here.

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