Eight graduate from kitchen helper program Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Dec 15/00) - Those who showed up for the staff and student Christmas party at Aurora College here Friday were in for a special treat.
The meal was dished up by students in the four-week kitchen helper program at Aurora College. The students were graded on the meal. Eight graduated from the program and were given certificates afterwards.
One graduate was Wayne Villeneuve of Inuvik. He explained that he took first aid and also went through basic food safety. He said it was nice to be able to put what they had learned to use.
"Plus we got to feed everybody," Villeneuve said.
"The instructors were helpful. They made it so we weren't afraid to ask questions."
Instructor Tony Cabianca said "they all did very well in their written exams and very well in their practicum."
Villeneuve has applied to work at one of the camps being set up this winter by one of oil and gas companies conducting seismic or drilling programs in the area. Pat Parkinson, manager of corporate programs, said four graduates have already been hired.
Parkinson said the college ran the program for the first time in five years after consulting with the oil and gas industry. It took a while to get the kitchen up and running for the program.
"We had to replace some of the items for the kitchen, like now there are saucepans, new knives, some new equipment. And we had to re-arrange things a little bit, because we'd been using it in a more casual way," she said.
"It came together really well and we're quite pleased. Now that it's up and running, we hope to put it to more use."
Typically graduates will find themselves helping to prepare meals, she said. The kitchen helper program will be offered again early in the new year.
The other graduates are Bella Greenland, Kevin St. Amand, Jada Smith, Veronica Coyen, Roberta Cardinal, Sylvia Lipscomb and Louisa Andre.
