Department of Hotel & Catering Operations
Head of Department : R. Dagger
Departmental Staff
Courses:
National Certificate in Professional Cookery (NTCB) - 2yrs
National Certificate Supervision of Food and Beverage Service Operations NTCB)
National Certificate in Restaurant Service (NTCB)
National Certificate in Restaurant and Accommodation Services (NTCB)
National Certificate in Bar Service (NTCB)
National Certificate Hospitality Skills (NTCB)
Affiliateship - Level 2 of the Institute of Meat - Retail Butchery
Aims
To bring students to a standard equivalent to completing two years of the four-year chef apprenticeship.
Entry Requirements
You must be at least 17 years old by December 31 in the year of entry and have Group, Intermediate/ Junior Certificate or Leaving Certificate.
You may only come to the Professional Cookery Course through one of the following routes:
If you have at least six months' experience of working in the kitchen of an hotel or catering establishment, your employer may nominate you for a place on the course through the CERT Industry Nomination Scheme. Discuss this scheme with your employer.
or
During the CERT national recruitment at the beginning of each year, contact your career guidance counsellor, local F�S Office, or CERT direct for an application form. Preference will be given to applicants with relevant work experience.
or
You successfully complete a CERT Vocational Preparation Training - 2 Course and qualify in this way for the full-time Professional Cookery Course.
Course Duration
Two years:
Year 1
Full-time in the College followed by a summer placement in industry.
Year 2
16 weeks in the College followed by a period of industrial placement.
Career Outlets
There are opportunities to pursue apprenticeship in professional kitchens throughout the hotel & catering industry and later to progress, according to ability and experience, to senior positions such as head chef or executive head chef.
Course Content
All aspects of food preparation, Vegetable cookery, Preparation of sweets & pastries, Kitchen organisation, Menu planning, Hygiene, Food costing, General life skills, New technology, French.
Qualification
If you are successful in your final examinations, you will be awarded the National Tourism Certification Board, which is recognised by the Department of Education in Ireland and throughout the European Community. You also have the option to sit examinations for the London City & Guilds 706/1 and 706/2.
Further Information
Robert Dagger, Head of Department of Hotel & Catering Operations or CERT.
Aims
To give students the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in Food and Beverage Service Supervision.
Entry Requirements
You should have successfully completed the Food and Beverage Service Course and have had at least one year's practical experience in the Hotel & Catering Industry after graduation and be 19 years of age by 31st December of the year in which the course starts (or 31st December of the preceding year for courses which start in January).
or
If you have not completed the Food & Beverage Service Course, you must have at least four years practical experience and be 19 years of age by 31st December of the year in which the course starts (or 31st December of the preceding year for courses which start in January).
Course Duration
Sixteen weeks, plus an additional four weeks of language training.
Career Outlets
The course is designed to prepare students for future posts as Head Waiters and Restaurant Supervisors (male and female) in the industry. Opportunities for graduates of the course have been identified in hotels, haute cuisine restaurants, popular restaurants, clubs, institutions, banqueting and conference centres, transport catering and other types of food and beverage service operations.
Course Content
You will acquire a range of skills and knowledge in: Advanced service techniques, Banqueting and outdoor catering, Food commodities and cooking methods, Beverages, Hospitality and tourism, Entertainment, Administration and legislation, Establishment maintenance, Book-keeping, New technology and computerisation
Qualification
You will be involved in continuous assessment throughout the course. On successful completion of the final examinations, you will be awarded the National Certificate of the National Tourism Certification Board, which is recognised by the Department of Education in Ireland and throughout the European Community.
Further Information
Damien O'Neill-Fitzsimons, Head of Section-Restaurant/Bar/Accommodation Services or CERT.
Aims
To provide students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to pursue careers as professional food and beverage service personnel.
Entry Requirements
You must be 17 years of age by December 31 in the year of entry and have Group or Intermediate/Junior Certificate or Leaving Certificate. You can come to the course through one of the following routes:
During the CERT national recruitment at the beginning of each year, contact your career guidance counsellor, local F�S Office, or CERT direct for an application form. Preference will be given to applicants with relevant work experience.
or
You successfully complete a CERT Vocational Preparation Training - 2 Course to qualify for a full-time Food and Beverage Service Course.
Course Duration
One year. You will spend two blocks of eight weeks in the College, plus two periods of work experience in the industry.
Career Outlets
There are wide opportunities throughout the industry at home and abroad. With experience, progress to Head Waiter/Waitress or Restaurant Management is possible.
Course Content
Approximately two-thirds of the course focusses on restaurant service and one-third on bar and beverage service.
Practical food service, Service of wines and alcoholic beverages and related theory, Personal and food hygiene, Customer and employee safety, Customer relations and communications, General life-skills training, Basic restaurant and bar law, Marketing and sales, New technology, French.
Qualification
On successful completion of the final examinations, you will be awarded the National Certificate of the National Tourism Certification Board, which is recognised by the Department of Education in Ireland and throughout the European Community. You also have the option of sitting the appropriate London City & Guilds examination.
Further Information
Damien O'Neill-FitzSimons, Head of Section - Restaurant/Bar/Accommodation Services or CERT.
Aims
To prepare students for careers in the areas of food and beverage service and guest accommodation in the Hotel & Catering Industry.
Entry Requirements
You must be 17 years of age by December 31 in the year of entry and have Group or Intermediate/ Junior Certificate or Leaving Certificate. You can come to the course through one of the following routes:
During the CERT national recruitment at the beginning of each year, contact your career guidance counsellor, local F�S Office, or CERT direct for an application form. Preference will be given to applicants with relevant work experience.
or
You successfully complete a CERT Vocational Preparation Training - 2 Course to qualify for a full-time Food, Beverage and Accommodation Services Course.
Course Duration
One year. You will spend two blocks of eight weeks each in the College, plus two periods of work experience in the industry.
Career Outlets
There are wide opportunities in the Hotel and Catering Industry as waiters, waitresses, barpersons or house assistants and, with experience, progress to senior posts in these areas is possible.
Course Content
Practical food service, Service of wines and alcoholic beverages, Professional room maintenance, Methods of cleaning and care of cleaning equipment, Room service, Guest and employee safety, Guest relations, Personal and food hygiene, General life-skills training, Basic law, New technology, French.
Qualification
On successful completion of the final examinations, you will be awarded the National Certificate of the National Tourism Certification Board, which is recognised by the Department of Education in Ireland and throughout the European Community. You also have the option of sitting the appropriate London City & Guilds examination.
Further Information
Damien O'Neill-FitzSimons, Head of Section - Restaurant/Bar/Accommodation Services or CERT.
Aims
To give students the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to become professional bartenders in the hotel, catering or licensed premises industries.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must be 18 years old before October 1 in the year of entry and have Group, Intermediate/ Junior or Leaving Certificate standard of education.
You can come to the course through one the following routes:
During the CERT national recruitment at the beginning of each year, contact your career guidance counsellor, local F�S Office, or CERT direct for an application form. Preference will be given to applicants with relevant work experience.
or
You successfully complete a CERT Vocational Preparation Training - 2 Course to qualify for a full-time Bar Service Course.
Course Duration
One year. The first two weeks are spent full-time in the College. For the next sixteen weeks, students spend three days per week in College and two days per week on practical experience in approved local establishments. Two further weeks are spent in the College full-time, and students then embark on a placement period in the hotel, catering or licensed premises industries.
Career Outlets
There are wide opportunities in employment as a barperson in the hospitality industry and you can progress, with experience, to head barperson or beverage management.
Course Content
Knowledge of wines, beers, spirits, liqueurs and non-alcoholic drinks, Bar food, Safety, Hygiene and licensing legislation, Dispensing and service of all bar products, Control of stocks and cash, Opening and closing tasks, Hospitality studies and skills, Life skills, New Technology, French.
Qualification
On successful completion of the final examinations, you will be awarded the National Certificate of the National Tourism Certification Board, which is recognised by the Department of Education in Ireland and throughout the European Community. You also have the option of sitting the appropriate London City & Guilds examination.
Further Information
Damien O'Neill-FitzSimons, Head of Section - Restaurant/Bar/Accommodation Services or CERT.
Aims
To prepare students for a variety of work in small to medium-sized businesses in the hotel and catering industry, through imparting the knowledge, skills and attitudes which will enable them to adapt to special demands in the restaurant, bar, kitchen, reception and accommodation departments.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must be 17 years of age by December 31 in the year of entry and have Group, Intermediate/ Junior Certificate or Leaving Certificate. You can come to the course through one of the following routes:
During the CERT national recruitment at the beginning of each year, contact your career guidance counsellor, local F�S Office, or CERT direct for an application form. Preference will be given to applicants with relevant work experience.
or
You successfully complete a CERT Vocational Preparation Training - 2 Course in Hotel, Catering and Tourism Studies and in this way you may be selected for further training through the Hospitality Course.
Course Duration
One Year, including a one-month placement in the industry over Easter.
Career Outlets
You will find that your new-found skills and knowledge will be widely accepted in small to medium-sized businesses in the industry, where many different tasks are demanded during a typical working day - variety being the keynote. You can progress, with further experience and/or study, to supervisory or even management grades in the industry.
Course Content
This is a more broadly-based course than the other courses offered by the Department of Hotel and Catering Operations. You will acquire a wide range of skills and knowledge in:
Food preparation, Food and Beverage service (waiter/waitress & bartending), Front office and reception techniques, Accommodation services, French, New technology, Customer relations and hospitality skills, Life-skills training, Personal and work hygiene, Tourism project.
Qualification
You will be involved in continuous assessment throughout the course. On successful completion of the final examinations, you will be awarded the National Certificate of the National Tourism Certification Board, which is recognised by the Department of Education in Ireland and throughout the European Community. You also have the option of sitting the appropriate London City and Guilds examination.
Further information
Damien O'Neill-FitzSimons, Head of Section - Restaurant/Bar/Accommodation Services or CERT.
Operated in conjunction with F�S. Your application must be submitted through your local F�S office.
Aims
To prepare students for a full-time career in the retail butchery trade.
Entry Requirements
You must be at least 16 years old by September 30 in the year of entry and have Group, Intermediate/Junior Certificate or Leaving Certificate.
Course Duration
One year: three days per week in the College and two days per week in approved butchery establishments.
Career Outlets
Retail butchery shops, supermarkets and the meat-processing industry.
Course Content
Meat Science, Butchery Theory, Practical Butchery, Calculations, Communications, Documentation.
Qualification
On successful completion of the course assessments, you will be awarded Affiliateship - Level 2 of the Institute of Meat.
Further Information
Frank O'Connor, Assistant Head of Department of Hotel & Catering Operations, or your local F�S office