Kitchen and Culinary Skills Classes Available in Lee County

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Jan. 8, 2015 - PRLog -- Fort Myers - Lee County Residents who seek careers in the food service industry are invited to apply to the ICARE Culinary Training and Certification program—offered in partnership with Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida and the Pine Manor Improvement Association. Tuition is based on income, and both full and partial scholarships are available for applicants with financial aid need.

The culinary training program is a 12-week, 280-hour course which teaches basic cooking techniques, kitchen math and science, menu planning and execution, and how to prepare a resume for the food service industry. Students will also complete a one-week externship at a local restaurant. Graduates will receive a SafeStaff Foodhandler Certificate, a state requirement for employment in the food service industry.

Classes are offered at the licensed commercial kitchen at the Pine Manor community center (http://pmiafl.org) in Fort Myers, and are taught by experienced local chefs under the direction of Chef James Fraser. Fraser has trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and worked in many high-end restaurants across Europe and the United States, and has developed training programs in several locations.

The program will allow Goodwill (http://www.goodwillswfl.org) to assist more individuals in our area as they pursue self-sufficiency.

“The hospitality industry is projected to grow quickly in the next six years,” explains Dorothy Browning, Goodwill’s Community Education Coordinator.  “It also provides opportunities for advancement for people without a college education.  In food service, 85% of the entry level workforce is eligible for promotion within a year.”

Classes begin on February 2.  Enrollment in the program is limited to ten individuals per session.  Residents of the Pine Manor community will be given preference, but any Lee County resident may apply by contacting Dorothy Browning at (239) 822-0828 or via email: DorothyBrowning@GoodwillSWFL.org.

The culinary training program is sponsored in part by The Southwest Florida Community Foundation (http://floridacommunity.com). A related program will be offered by the Heights Foundation in Fort Myers as part of the nPower Collaboration (Neighborhood Partners Offering Opportunities for Work and Educational Resources).

Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to serving people with disabilities and disadvantages by offering life-changing opportunities to achieve independence.  In 2014, Goodwill assisted more than 39,000 Southwest Floridians.  Sponsored programs include Job-Link resource centers, disability-accessible housing, the Goodwill L.I.F.E. Academy Charter School, and the Goodwill SWFL MicroEnterprise Institute.

For more information about Goodwill’s programs and services visit www.goodwillswfl.org.