Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Students could enroll in the 3-term Culinary Assistant Program in any fall, winter or spring term of a school year. HR 107 is for first-term students in the Program. Students learn through classroom instruction and hands-on skill training. Classroom sessions focus on developing work-related communications and social skills, food safety, on-the-job safety, as well as job-success skills. The program coordinator provides individualized training and assistance in maintaining positive work habits.

Students who successfully completed HR 107 will be able to:

·         Work and take instructions from food operation personnel to perform one or two jobs in various areas, such as food preparation, food/customer serving, store-keeping, food area maintaining, or dish-washing.

·         Demonstrate basic job success skills in professionalism, social skills, attitudes, work habits and workplace behaviors as appropriate on a job setting.

·         Demonstrate familiarity of specific job-related knowledge, such as food safety, on-the-job safety, teamwork, disciplinary action and work evaluation as applied in a work environment.

Students receive hands-on training in the PCC Food-services cafeteria on-campus. They work with skillful food-service staff to learn specific job skills in their work areas. The students, with input from the program coordinator, select one or more job-training areas out of the following choices: food preparation (hot food, salad, bakery, sandwich, pizza, bento/oriental food, sushi and hot dog); food/customer serving; store-keeping; food area maintaining; and dish-washing. Child-care, custodial service or clerical assisting training may sometimes be available. Students complete assigned tasks performed as their personal ability allows. Students spend two hours per week in classroom activities.

Assessment is based on 6 areas:

1. Attendance.
2. Punctuality.
3. Work-related skills and habits.
4. Workplace behaviors.
5. Classroom activities.
6. Employability.

Attendance and punctuality that reflect students’ attitude and professionalism are recorded and counted. The students’ work-related skills, habits and teamwork, as well as their employability and workplace behaviors are evaluated by the staff trainers, co-workers and the program coordinator. Classroom activities are graded primarily on class participation, in-class assignment, tests and examinations on specific job-related knowledge.

THEMES, CONCEPTS AND ISSUES:

• Learn and become skillful with job skills.
• Learn the job-success/soft skills necessary for employment retention.
• Learn specific job-related knowledge to be more knowledgeable.
• Understand the importance of professionalism, positive attitude and work ethics.
• Practice work-related communication and team playing.
• Learn the concept of being a good employee.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

• Assist the staff trainers to complete assigned jobs in training area.
• Able to adapt to job-success skills (such as social skills, professionalism, etc.)
• Familiar with specific job-related knowledge (such as food safety, workplace safety).
• Demonstrate professionalism, positive attitude and good work ethics at work-site.
• Practice communication and following instruction skills by using effective listening.
• Identify the elements of being a good employee.