Lornshill Academy have set up a new Hospitality Academy within the school after successful involvement with Springboard Future Chef, Inglewood House and Spa and training from Forth Valley College.
The selected pupils in the Academy beat off stiff competition from their peer group and were selected after interview by David McGregor the General Manger and Karen Featherstone the Head chef at Inglewood House and Spa in Alloa.
The Academy which also has support from DYW Forth Valley’s innovation fund and FVC’s Hospitality Department at the Stirling Campus, continues to grow from strength to strength and all pupils selected will compete in the 2019 Future Chef heats. Then two worthy winners will go through to the Forth Valley Finals.
Owner of Inglewood House and Spa Ewan Campbell, has actively encouraged the development of the school partnership by allowing staff to work closely with the pupils to build new skills while also exploring the many and varied careers within the growing Scottish food, drink and events sector.
Forth Valley College’s Hospitality Department has assisted in setting up the Academy through allowing pupils to access training and advising on industry skills and further education courses after pupils leave school. Pupils were recently presented with their whites by Inglewood House and Forth Valley College after successfully passing their REHIS Food safety exams.
The Hospitality Academy has been developed to help young people in to a positive destination on leaving school and offers them the following:
- Certified training certificates within the Hospitality sector:
- In school professional cookery classes run by industry
- Hosting catering for in school events
- A takeover day at Inglewood House, providing a two course lunch for the wider community
- Real life work experience with potential further education and employment opportunities
Emma McCurdie a S3 Hospitality Academy pupil, said: “This is my second year competing in Future Chef and as runner up in Forth Valley finals last year I am really looking forward to competing again later this year. I loved my day at the College doing all the different hospitality tasks and was so pleased to win the practical kitchen award. I am now practicing my dishes with Karen the Head Chef at Inglewood House and enjoying learning new practical cookery experiences in the kitchen with other pupils in the Hospitality Academy.”
David McGregor, General Manager Inglewood House & Spa, said: “Inglewood House and Spa are delighted that our partnership with Lornshill Academy is developing the pupils’ skills for future employment. The Springboard Future Chef is part of our overall support to the school and we wish all this year’s pupils great success. We are extremely proud that one of last year’s finalists, Dillon Turner from the school, has now moved on to professional cookery at college while also being employed with us at Inglewood House and Spa. We are proud to be working with a great set of pupils both at Inglewood House and Spa and also in school through the new Hospitality Academy programme.”
Ype Van der Schaaf, Forth Valley College Chef Manager, said: “We are delighted to be involved with the new Lornshill Hospitality Academy and feel it will provide pupils with the ideal skills and training to allow them to push on and apply for courses here at Forth Valley College in the hospitality sector. We wish them well for the future and will support them in any way we can.”