Pathways to Success
Potluck Café Society is proud to announce a new training and employment program, providing pathways to success for individuals with barriers to traditional employment, who complete our paid 12-week training program with our team of professional chefs.
Over the course of the program, participants will receive hands-on kitchen training in a variety of stations, from sandwich and salads, dishwashing, tapas and canapés to hot line.
With this, participants will receive 1-on-1 support with Potluck's Employment Support Worker, participating in goal setting and applying for jobs or completing school applications. Beyond successful 'graduation', Potluck will continue to support participants, ensuring support on their pathway to success.
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Pathways to Success hires members of the Downtown Eastside who are ready to train for further employment and learn transferrable skills, but have not yet been given the chance to surpass their barriers to traditional employment, in a supportive environment. With this program, Potluck Café Society will be a part of their pathway to gaining meaningful and dignified employment.
Pathways to Success has partnered with Mission Possible and their Employment Readiness Program to create a direct pathway for their successful graduates to further their training and employment to learn in a supportive and professional culinary environment.
Participants are not required to have any pre-requisites, but do have to have a general knowledge of soft skills required to be employed in a low-barrier capacity.
Potluck will then train and employ participants for 12 weeks in both an in-class setting and hands-on, kitchen station training, learning things things such as:
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Cooking Methods – general cooking methods, identifying appropriate tools and equipment, cooking temperatures
E.g., dry heat (air), dry heat (oil), microwave cooking
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Pack-Slips – understand catering orders/pack-slips, dietary restrictions, religious/cultural restrictions, allergy restrictions, modifiers, special requests, notes, cooking techniques
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MEAT, POULTRY AND SEAFOOD
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Meat – cuts, process and preparations, methods of cooking, temperatures, carving
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Poultry and Fowl – sanitization, cross-contamination, processes, preparation, cooking requirements
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Seafood – freshness, processes, preparations, cooking methods, types of seafood; fish, shellfish, cuts
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During the 12 weeks, participants will meet with Potlucks Employment Support Worker for one-on-one sessions twice a month, to practice goal setting, check ins for their individualized work plans, community support connections, and job searching.
After successful completion of the Pathways to Success culinary training program, the goal is for participants to find further employment, or education, through many business and organizational partnerships in Vancouver.
Pre-Employment or Employment Readiness Program
1 - 6 months
Training and Education at Potluck Café Society
12 weeks
