Apprenticeship training partnership results in national award

With a training partnership spanning over seven years and 60 apprentices trained to date, Truro and Penwith College Business is proud of their relationship with Rick and Jill Stein’s company, The Seafood Restaurant. Supporting their application for the company to win an accolade at the Apprenticeships 4 England Apprenticeship Employer Awards was a great opportunity for the College to bring wider recognition to The Seafood Restaurant’s inspirational approach to apprenticeships.

Truro and Penwith College Business currently has 10 apprentices placed at The Seafood Restaurant on the Level 2 Professional Cookery Apprenticeship, which began in 2008 to invest in talented local individuals who were passionate about cooking. This programme was initially designed to develop individuals from within the business with aspirations to succeed, but has also recently brought in external candidates, the first of which are due to complete their apprenticeship in September. The College also continues to support the growth and development of the ‘Stein’s Academy’ which aims to inspire and support individuals to become hospitality professionals.

During the development of the Professional Cookery Apprenticeship, the company carried out considerable research into local training providers to support their programme, before deciding upon working with Truro and Penwith College Business. Michael Rabone, HR Manager at The Seafood Restaurant, commented: “The College tutors come here to deliver the training which is a big benefit to us. We know and trust the tutors and they know our business well. We all feel comfortable with them. That sort of trust between us goes a long way.” Working with Truro and Penwith College Business, the company has been able to tailor the delivery and provision to meet the requirements of the business as well as the needs of the apprentices on the programme.

The inventive and inspirational Apprenticeship puts up to 10 budding chefs through their paces each year, with alumni including MasterChef 2008 champion James Nathan, who is now Executive Chef at The Green Room restaurant at Retallack Resort and Spa. The apprentice chefs are taught at Padstow Seafood School by College tutors and The Seafood Restaurant’s senior chefs, learning how to source and prepare local ingredients and create spectacular dishes.

The Seafood Restaurant was shortlisted for an Apprentice Employer award at the Apprenticeships 4 England Awards which took place in London at the beginning of March, ultimately winning a national award in their category. Tamsyn Harris, Head of Truro and Penwith College Business, offered the College’s support: “The College is proud to be a partner with The Seafood Restaurant and to have set up this very specific Apprenticeship which provides a unique experience for anyone joining. It is a privilege to be working alongside an organisation that really invests and believes in providing opportunities for all, as well as working extremely hard to ensure apprentices are the very best as what they do.”

Come along and meet the team at the Cornwall Business Show at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, on Thursday 19th March.

Image Caption: Benjamin Milby, HR Advisor at The Seafood Restaurant, and Rebecca Wilton, Business Development Adviser at Truro and Penwith College Business.