If you are a California resident looking for a career in K-12 school food that focuses on community, the Chef Ann Foundation’s (CAF) Healthy School Food Pathway Pre-Apprenticeship program is now accepting applications. This program provides a paid, work-based learning opportunity to prepare individuals for job opportunities in school food programs that prioritize healthy and delicious meals for students. The Pre-Apprenticeship program lasts for seven weeks and includes 84 hours of work experience at a participating school district in California, self-paced online courses, and live virtual learning sessions. Experienced school food professionals mentor Pre-Apprentices who are passionate about children’s health and promoting positive change in their community.
“There have been so many people I’ve met during my career working in the school food space who say they wish they knew about it as a career path sooner,” CAF Senior Director of California Workforce Programs Emily Gallivan said. “The Pre-Apprenticeship program was designed to really provide an opportunity for individuals to get first-hand experience in school food, while at the same time lift up those already working in the field.”
The Pre-Apprenticeship program is available to all California residents, regardless of prior experience in food service, including current school food service employees. It serves as a professional development opportunity for those interested in healthy K-12 school food.
Completion of the Pre-Apprenticeship program opens up the opportunity to continue training through CAF’s comprehensive Apprenticeship program, which is also paid and takes around 9 months to complete.
If you’re interested in applying for the Fall 2023 Pre-Apprenticeship program, the application period runs from November 13, 2023, to February 12, 2024. You can learn more about the program and apply on CAF’s website, which also lists the participating California school districts.
Additionally, CAF will host an informational webinar on November 16, 2023, at 3 p.m. ET. The webinar will feature former and current program participants and provide potential applicants with more information about the program.
