career tips

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hello, I am 38 years old and finally able to persue a career in culinary arts. I have enrolled in Scottsdale Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu. Unfortunately, I have been stuck in the construction field for the past 20 years. I am concerned about the type of employment I will be able to get with just a degree. What type of work or restaurant should I be working in while in school to further my career after school? I have a required 13 week externship to forefill before I can graduate. I would like to do this externship in New Orleans. I would also like to spend the next five years after school in New Orleans. I have a passion for Creole, Cajun and french Quisine. What is the best way to coresspond with a restaurant in New Orleans to get the opportunity to do my externship there as well as apprenticeship after school? Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank You

By Tabascotx (Tabascotx) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 05:31 pm: Edit

One thing that was very important for me when deciding on which school I was going to go with, was their assistance with just such matters. Ask the people in the career center with your school about the contacts with chefs/restaurants/companies in New Orleans that they have.

Many schools have relationships with companies and chefs that allow for them to send their students to work for their interships/externships. The school I went to had set up many, many of these opportunities and checked them out to ensure everyone was on the right page. This is important because as part of your extern class there are probably certain tasks that they want to see you accomplish according to your school's standards. The company knows what to expect from the student and the school knows the restaurant will provide a great hands-on real world learning experience.

That would be my first step if I was you, because being that the extern needs to go through the school, see what opportunities they have for that area. If there is a restaurant in particular you want to work with, let the school know so you can start laying the ground work for you externship when it rolls around.

best of luck!

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 06:05 pm: Edit

Cliff, I would go to New Orleans first, get a job and then if you still like the field, go to school.
After you decide this is your calling look at schools. Don't decide on a high $$$$$ school for the name, it is YOUR EDUCATION that matters, not their $15-20K.
I teach for a public school system in Florida, I have had job offers from the Cordon Bleu chain in the US and J & W, they pay sh@t for their instructors, yet they charge the students big bucks. They sell kids a false bill of goods, that they will be Chefs when they graduate and the reality is 1% of their grads may be good enough
to do that from day one!
Read other threads here relating to this, it will be very informative. Go to the main page where all the forums are and check it out!