Frontier Chefs Part 4: The Next Generation
Sodexo scores an industry first with ‘Art of Food’ apprenticeship program

In this latest instalment of our Frontier Chefs series, we look at Sodexo’s industry-first apprenticeship program, Art of Food, which gives participants the chance to attain a Certificate III in Cookery through practical training on Sodexo remote sites across Western Australia’s energy and resources sector.

Introduced in July 2021, Art of Food has already proven itself an overwhelming success. The pilot scheme included 19 apprentices, and to date there have been 43 apprentices across three intakes. They undertake a fully paid six month training period at North Metro TAFE, which is providing the program’s theoretical component, followed by a placement at a remote site over the following six to 24 months where they hone their skills and learn on the job.

PODCAST: Frontier Chefs Part 4: The Next Generation

Providing a fully-funded pathway to enter the industry

Toni Gore, HR Director for Sodexo Australia, explains the program was primarily developed in response to the critical skills shortages in the commercial cookery space, made worse by the Covid-19 issues around border closures.

“We employ over 500 skilled catering personnel in Australia, and when there’s a skill shortage it has a big impact on us,” she points out. The fully funded scheme provides a pathway for newcomers to enter the industry via ongoing employment with Sodexo during and after their apprenticeship.

“To date we’ve had 43 apprentices who’ve participated across three intakes – the pilot program only started in July 2021 and so far we have 16 certified, qualified cooks as a result of the program, we have five trade qualified chefs and we have 12 cooks who are in the process of being signed off.”

Toni says feedback from participants has been fantastic – “a lot of them were already Sodexo employees, such as catering assistants, or sometimes working on one of our remote sites in another role. For them, having the chance to be supported through a program like this, and to come out of it with a qualification and be guaranteed a job with the company that you love, was a real blessing. Some of the chefs who qualified are now mentoring the new generation that are coming through, which is testament to the program’s viability.”

Applications for the 2023 intake in WA open in May, and depending upon the number and quality of applicants the next program should commence in July. Toni makes the point that although an apprentice program, it’s not restricted to young people: “We have a very diverse mix of interested parties and a significant waitlist currently for the next intake, but if people are interested they should keep an eye on the Sodexo careers website and they can also contact our funding and development team.”

Although the program has so far been confined to Sodexo’s remote sites across WA’s energy and resources sector, the company is currently looking at how it could mirror the program across its east coast operations.

“We’ve already established a partnership with an east coast-based provider and depending upon the interest we receive, we’d be looking to run a program on the eastern seaboard later this year,” Toni affirms. Given the widespread geographical dispersion of its business across the east coast, Sodexo is also keen to establish partnerships with other RTOs. “We’d certainly be open to having those discussions.”

Toni emphasises the involvement of North Metro TAFE has been pivotal to the program’s success. “The program really wouldn’t have been able to be delivered without their support. They have helped put together this very bespoke delivery model, and been very accommodating to our needs, given the different skillsets of the cohort going through at the time. Their facilities are excellent and it’s been a great partnership to date.”

Retention rate has been remarkable

Patrick O’Brien, North Metro TAFE’s Director Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Personal Services points out, “Realworld skills-based training is invaluable for apprentices starting out in their careers. With critical shortages in cookery talent across Australia, we need innovative solutions like the Art of Food program to attract more young professionals into the industry. Like Sodexo, we see incredible value in the translation of essential skills and knowledge into practical capabilities.” 

Eighteen months in, Patrick says the program seems to be going really well: “We’ve had four intakes with Sodexo and they’ve been very well attended. We’ve seen a remarkable retention rate with these young people – obviously they’re being well looked after and are happily going through their apprenticeship.”

Patrick emphasises the practical training received on site at the remote locations at which these apprentices are working is the same as they would receive at a city-based foodservice venue. “The quality of the food on energy and resources sites these days has to be comparable with what’s in restaurants and hotels and everything else, because the people staying in these places demand it, and the clients hiring these catering companies expect a high standard. And of course the training these apprentices receive at TAFE is no different from what an apprentice working in the city would get.”

Patrick thinks the fact that the program is working so well comes down to Sodexo’s financial commitment – “they hire the apprentice and send them to do paid fulltime TAFE study for six months up front, rather than the normal day block release. That means they complete 22 or 23 of the units for Certificate III, with the remaining units done on site during their apprenticeship. My lecturers have found that the people in the course are very committed, and obviously there’s a very good job for them if they complete the course.

“Sodexo have about three or four chef mentors and they work very closely with my lecturers. We’ve had visiting chefs from Sodexo who come on site and work with the apprentices – that’s worked really well and they’re able to give the apprentices some insight into what to expect when they go out to the remote locations.”

Patrick says one of the big drawcards for participation has been the pay rates Sodexo offers its apprentices – well above those a restaurant or club typically offers. “We’ve seen a massive increase with the resource industry companies looking at taking on their own apprentices. It all depends on whether young people want to work remotely – if so, this is an opportunity for them to get a trade qualification while they’re doing it.”

Sodexo is a people business, dedicated to the delivery of quality of life services within Australia. For more than 30 years, Sodexo’s commitment to quality has been demonstrated through more than 100 integrated service lines and the investment in training programs to upskill their people. For more information about Sodexo’s Art of Food program visit https://au.sodexo.com/inspired-thinking/sodexo-brings-art-of-food-to-wa.html