Food Aficionado

Certificate III in Hospitality: Outstanding Mature-Aged Apprentice of the Year

At age 29, I took the plunge and changed careers leaving the comfort of my full-time job in health science to pursue an apprenticeship in Commercial Cooking. With a young family and a stable job, many people thought I was crazy but I had a passion for food and knew I had to pursue it.

I wanted my qualification to be recognised both locally and internationally and the VU Certificate III in Hospitality provided that security. I love that as an apprentice you can make mistakes, ask plenty of questions and try new things…even during work experience in professional kitchens!

During my course, I was privileged enough to work in a number of commercial cooking environments, from hospital kitchens through to the award winning Melbourne restaurant Vue de Monde. That experience helped me secure a role in a large hotel kitchen where I’m now given the creative freedom to construct new dishes for the menu.

Changing career paths and pursuing my dream is honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done.