If you’ve ever thought about becoming a chef or opening your own restaurant, then a special course is starting next month at the Algarve’s hotel and tourism school (EHTA) in Faro.
The Kitchen Management and Food Production course is described as one of the most popular at the school, providing students with job opportunities almost as soon as they complete it.
“There is a lot of demand in this area. This is one of the courses with the most candidates. This year, we decided to again start our school calendar in March,” head of the school Paula Vicente told Barlavento newspaper.
The course lasts a year and a half, is open to people of all ages and experience levels (with a high school degree) and includes an internship which can be completed in Portugal or abroad.
“It is also one of the courses with the highest employment rates. Those who complete it find it very easy to get a job as soon as they finish,” Vicente added.
“It is divided into three semesters, the first of which is a leveling phase as the classes are diverse and there are students who have already worked in the sector. Some sign up with degrees and others have never even thought about it,” she said.
The second semester focuses on regional cuisine and the third shines the spotlight on international cuisine. The final months are also spent developing students’ “imagination, creativity and entrepreneurship”.
The tuition fee is €120 per month, although students can apply for subsidies.
“Some students receive 100% support and are exempt from paying fees, while others only pay half,” she said.
There is a page on Portugal’s tourism schools’ website where those interested can sign up. After this is done, the candidate receives an automatic response with all the dates for the admission exams and the interview.
The exams aim to test candidates’ skills in Portuguese and English as well as their logical thinking. The interview is held individually with each candidate to establish if they are “truly passionate about the area”.
Those interested have until February 27 to sign up.
Article originally written by Maria Simiris for Barlavento newspaper.
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