Are you looking for a career in a rapidly expanding sector? The hospitality and professional cookery industry is fun, dynamic and vibrant with excellent opportunities for career advancement.
The courses we offer are uniquely designed to provide learners with the skills and knowledge required to secure employment within the industry or progress to further and higher education. You will benefit from learning in a realistic working environment, gaining valuable hands-on experience and having access to industry-standard equipment and software programmes.
Our courses are engaging, current and relevant. They are delivered in our own kitchens, bakery, restaurants and café bars allowing you to put what you have learnt in theory into practice in a supportive, inclusive and nurturing environment.
Throughout the past year I learned exactly what I hoped to. In order to further my careerprogressionI knewI needed to build on the foundations of myknowledgeand this is exactly what college did.
Josh Coull,
HNC Hospitality
The thing I liked best about going to college was having theopportunityto learn the necessary skills to then be able to go and get the job I wanted.
Jordan Watson,
Professional Cookery
At first, I was anxious and nervous but looking back now it was one of the best choices I have ever made. Studying at college has given me lots more confidence in myself.
Ashleigh Paton,
Hospitality
Becoming a dad spurred me on somewhat! Given my years working in the industry I thought I knew it all but the course really ignited a passion for all things pastry - chocolate work in particular.
Craig McKenzie,
Professional Cookery
To any future students I would say, go after your dreams and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Inga Griska,
ESOL and Hospitality
The diversity of the college is great. Its kitchens are the perfect environment to learn the basics and the higher level courses allow you to acquire advanced skills.
Szilard Szentesi,
Professional Cookery
I loved being given the opportunity to practice my new skills in the College Café Bar. It really gave me confidence knowing that they were prepared to give me this responsibility.
Arran Hill,
Hospitality
I want to keep learning, keep being inspired and grab opportunities that come my way and I’d say to anyone looking to shape their future, apply now!
Sophy Mitchell,
Hospitality
Josh's Story
Josh Coull was already working in the hospitality industry when he realized that, if he wanted to progress in his career, he would need some formal training and qualifications.
“Before coming to college I had been working in the hospitality industry for 4 or 5 years,” he explains. “I had already built up a fairly solid understanding of the industry, however, I was mainly self-taught and lacked professional training. I knew that I had to further my knowledge and understanding of the hospitality industry if I wanted to progress into a managerial role and this is ultimately what led me to apply for college.”
Josh signed up to the HNC Hospitality course and was pleased to discover that the experience lived up to his expectations.
“Throughout the past year I learned exactly what I hoped to. In order to further my career progression I knew I needed to build on the foundations of my knowledge and this is exactly what college did. I had different classes that taught me supervision/management skills, professional cookery, front desk reception, financial control, accommodation, front of house waiting, alcoholic beverages, food hygiene, hospitality industry and many other things! The college really delivered fantastic, well-rounded classes about hospitality and everything involved in it.”
Although the pandemic and its related restrictions made studying more challenging, Josh appreciated all his lecturers did to deliver the course remotely. His decision to study at college has already proved worthwhile and he is now moving up the career ladder having secured a trainee manager job at the Invercarse Hotel.
“The lecturers did a great job of teaching the course online and getting us to complete practical experience whenever the government advice permitted it. I have met many new people with different ways of doing things and many personalities which has been great. I will take the skills and knowledge that college taught me and apply it to my new role as a manager where I will continue striving to further my progression. I feel lucky to have participated in the course.”
Jordan's Story
Former Professional Cookery student, Jordan Watson, experienced his first taste of Dundee and Angus College when he was still at school. Jordan attended college for one afternoon a week through a school link partnership before deciding to embark on a full-time Professional Cookery course in 2012. He worked his way through Levels 1, 2 and 3 before moving on to a successful career in the hospitality industry.
Jordan learnt a huge amount from his lecturers and believes his time at Dundee and Angus College helped him establish a successful career.
“The thing I liked best about going to college was having the opportunity to learn the necessary skills to then be able to go and get the job I wanted. I was impressed by the wealth of knowledge, experience and connections to industry that the lecturers had. One aspect of college that I found difficult was “learning to walk before I could run”. I always tried to get too far ahead of myself before I had properly mastered the basics, but my lecturers always kept me grounded in a supportive and constructive way. While completing my level 3 qualification I was immensely proud to get my first full-time job in a professional kitchen that held one AA rosette. I am now the pastry chef in charge at the 5 star Old Course Hotel Golf Resort and Spa in St Andrews.”
Jordan’s ambition for the future is to follow in the footsteps of the lecturers who inspired him.
“I would love to have the opportunity to teach. My lecturers really inspired me and helped me realise that the future of our industry lies in the hands of the students. To have the best students you need the best lecturers and during my time at college I know I did!”
Arran's Story
Arran Hill had always wanted to work in hospitality, but every time he tried for a job as a chef or a waiter, he got the same answer ‘you need more training’.
‘Hearing that just made me even more determined to succeed,’ says 35 year old Arran from Dundee, and in 2017 he started at the College. Now three years later, Arran has competed a Certificate in Hospitality and Professional Cookery and an HNC and HND in Hospitality. This is no mean achievement as Arran completed his HND during the Lockdown in March/April.
“I couldn’t have completed this course without the support of the College and my family and friends, but I am really proud of what I achieved. I learned lots of different aspects of the industry from event planning to preparing food in a restaurant style and how to serve customers in a restaurant setting.”
Arran says some of his favourite parts of the course was working alongside professional chefs at the Food and Flower Festival as well as high pressure events at the Apex hotel in Dundee and the St Andrew’s Golf Hotel.
“I also loved being given the opportunity to practice my new skills in the College Café Bar. It really gave me confidence knowing that they were prepared to give me this responsibility.”
Obviously, in these Covid times a career in the hospitality industry is far from easy at the moment, but Arran has secured a job as a chef at a café in Dundee.
“I feel without the teaching care and attention to detail that all the lectures within the hospitality department gave me, I would not be where I am in my work place today. I also feel that my units from all my courses have helped me. During Covid I feel that without the College’s continued support and passion I would not have been able to learn the new skills I have currently learnt in my work place”
Sophy's Story
What’s Sophy Mitchell’s proudest moment? The cheers and the clapping as she graduated at Dundee’s Caird Hall in front of her parents and her husband. That was 7 years ago and now 29 year old Sophy has been promoted to being a Stores Supervisor at the College’s Kingsway Campus.
“I have always loved cooking and socialising from a young age, but by the time I had reached 19 years old I was feeling a bit lost.”
Sophy’s life changed for the better, however, after she was accepted to do an HNC in Hospitality Management at the College.
“I learnt to never give up!!! I really struggled with financial control but with the support from the fabulous lecturers I plodded along! I was surprised at how difficult the course was as a lot of people, I feel, underestimate college!!My favourite aspects were definitely the practical! From front of house in the training restaurant to cooking main courses in the kitchen – LOVE practical and definitely my stronger point.”
And Sophy has plenty of ambition left.
“I want to keep learning, keep being inspired and grab opportunities that come my way and I’d say to anyone looking to shape their future, apply now!”
