Cook (Pre-Employment)

Program Description

The 9-month Cook (Pre-Employment) Diploma program is a provincially-accredited apprenticeship program that was developed by government and approved by the Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board. The program provides students with a wide range of skills that are needed to work as a first-year apprentice, including those related to safety and hygiene, vegetables, meats, fruits and nuts, rices and grains, seafood and desserts as well as many others. Most courses are designed in such a way that students spend time divided equally between the classroom and one of our professional kitchens. After completing the academic portion of the program students will complete a 2 week work-term under the supervision of a professional cook.

Please note that due to the nature of this career, employees are required to tolerate regular physical activity during the course of their work day. If you have any medical concerns, please contact your admissions officer to ensure you are aware of the requirements of the occupation and to determine if you are eligible for accommodations in this program.

Apprenticeship Training

The Cook (Pre-Employment) program is an apprenticeship trades program. Courses completed at Academy Canada meet the requirements to become a first-year apprentice. Once this training is completed and the graduate obtains their first position in the trade, s/he must register as an Apprentice with the Department of Education. Government will then cover the costs associated with regular advanced training as the apprentice gains experience and works towards completing their Journeyperson exam. Passing this examination will result in receiving Red Seal Certification

Program Courses

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
• Standard First Aid
• The Professional Cook
• Health and Safety
• Personal Hygiene and Kitchen Sanitation
• Kitchen Tools and Equipment
• Weights and Measures
• Receiving and Storage
• Basic Cooking Methods and Principles
• Food Presentation
• Vegetables and Fungi
• Potatoes
• Pulses, Grains and Nuts
• Pastas and Dumplings
• Fruits
• Salads and Salad Dressings
• Sandwiches
• Stocks and Glazes
• Soups
• Sauces
• Principles of Meat Cooking and Handling
• Beef and Pork
• Poultry
• Fish
• Seafood
• Dairy Products
• Breakfast Cookery and Eggs
• Introduction to Baking
• Bread Products
• Cookies
• Pies, Tarts, Flans and Fillings
• Basic Cakes and Quick Breads
• Introduction to Apprenticeship
• Introduction to Essential Skills
• Math Essentials
• Cook Math Fundamentals
• Communication Essentials
• Workplace Essentials
• Computer Essentials
• Workplace Exposure

Employment Opportunities

Upon successful completion of the Cook program, graduates may be employed in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and other health care institutions, central food commissaries, educational institutions, and other establishments. Cooks are also employed aboard ships and at construction and logging campsites. Students will gain valuable hands-on training throughout their program and will be ready for immediate entry into the work force upon graduation. A small sample of Academy Canada’s excellent employers include:

• Marriott Hotels
• Glynmill Inn
• Columbus Club
• Red Oak Catering
• Rufus Ginchard Health Center
• Fairmont Hotels
• Holiday Inn
• Jingle Jims
• Marble Mountain
• Gitanos’

Discover where a job in the Canadian Armed Forces can take you!

The Cook program is recognized by the Canadian Armed Forced (CAF) as meeting the requirements for entering into a job in the CAF.

Students who graduate from the Cook program may receive advanced standing in the Canadian Armed Forces, which means a higher pay rate relative to CAF members who have not graduated from a CAF-recognized program.

Watch a video about the Cook occupation with the CAF and apply today!

Not convinced this career is for you? Learn more and watch this video!

Restaurants, hotels, hospitals, educational institutions, rehabilitation/long term care facilities, prisons, food trucks…what do they all have in common?

They all need Cooks!

If you’re interested in an exciting and rewarding career that gives you the opportunity to work in a variety of environments, apply for our Cook program today.

Employer Testimonials

Our Cook graduates get rave reviews from various restaurants across the province.

Check out these testimonials from restaurant checks and owners below.