I had the honor and joy of being a guest today at the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle's Culinary Job Training Program's 50th class graduation. Not only did I enjoy a delicious lunch and the company of good people, but I also witnessed a life changing moment for the graduates.
This afternoon nine men and women were honored by their friends, family, and Food Shuttle employees, volunteers, and board members (present and past) for their accomplishments. Nearly 3 months ago, these nine students came together from different walks of life to prepare for careers in the food service industry. The class met 5 days per week for 11 weeks to learn how to prepare food, to learn food safety, and to learn how to become good employees.
The classes are taught by a professional chef, a job placement counselor, and a case manager. We were told that more than these nine men and women started the course, but only these nine completed it. We could tell by the beaming smiles on their faces that the graduates were proud of themselves. They have every right to be!
After graduation, the job placement counselor will work with each one to locate jobs in food service. According to the fact sheet on the CJTP, "the employment rate for graduated students is 70%!" Given that today's graduating class was the 50th, the program is obviously successful, well established, and well known. Many notable restaurants in the Triangle area have hired graduates of this program.
The Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has a long list of amazing programs that serve our community, and this is just one of them. For more information, to donate, or to volunteer please visit http://www.foodshuttle.org/.
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