Realising the potential of Work Based Training!

Why should I do Work Based Training (WBT)? What do I expect during WBT? What do I learn during WBT? Do you have these questions as well? Do these questions bother you?

Let us guide you and help you figure out why is WBT an integral part of your curriculum.

Firstly, what is Work Based Training?

Now, the concept of Work Based Training (WBT) is defined as “any purposeful application of training to the task of educating a human being.” It means every time a learner goes to work they are learning, demonstrating competence and in the same process working towards completing their qualification. Work Based Training and Practical Placement (WBT/PP) opportunities are an important component of employee engagement and skills development.

Now what should you expect to learn during the Work Based Training?

Here we have listed down some important points that should be a baseline for you for understanding the significance of Work Based Training. Take a look at these points one by one to comprehend what knowledge you are seeking for during your work based training.

1. Application of classroom learning in real world setting:

The purpose of education is to prepare students for life. To optimize the learning experience, WBT demonstrates the relevance of subjects, providing a meaningful framework for both academic and personal development. Students need to reflect on their units, both the theory and practical aspects of their study and try to connect the dots to its application depending on the scenario.

2. Kitchen Operating Procedure on Hotel / Resort:

Only having a vocational training in the college premises is not sufficient. The main challenge is to work in a hectic schedule in the hotel itself. WBT provides the correct amount of introduction to the kitchen operating procedure including from where the materials are supplied to who receives the materials and where and how it is stored, how it is processed to how the materials are used and presented to the guests. Students need to have an eye for observing all such procedures.

3. Improvement in critical thinking, analytical reasoning and logical abilities:

Working in the industry itself, provides a platform. Every time one goes to work he/she is learning, demonstrating competence and in the same process working towards the improvement of their critical thinking as well as completing their qualification.

4. Development of personal skill:

WBT is focused on the specific needs of individual learners and not ‘a one-shoe fits all’ classroom/group-based approach. Learning and assessment plans are created on an individual level for the development of one’s personal as well as professional skills. WBT considers the wide range of different backgrounds and experiences of learners and applies this when developing individual skill and strategies.

5. Making education relevant and valuable to the social context:

Learners can progress once they have demonstrated competency. Incorporating real world connections into an education plan helps students understand why and what they’re learning is valuable to the social context. WBT assists to optimize the learning experience.

6. Start from the scratch:

If you have a mindset that you will be able to create a dish and then serve it to the customers, then you’re definitely wrong. Each and every student, who goes into WBT, has to start all the way from the bottom whether it’s cleaning, or helping or washing.

7. Management of kitchen overall:

The last thing you need is problems in the kitchen. One thing you can surely expect from WBT is you get to learn and observe overall kitchen management which includes all activities for instance, from where the goods are being supplied to who receives it to storing, processing it to a dish, along with presenting and garnishing of the dish. In addition to that, you also get to learn about the costing of the good and supplements too.

8. Free- hand practice:

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle. To know yourself is to know your goals and how to best achieve them. And to know to what extent you can present a dish using your creativity, technical skills and innovative ideas shows your capability in this industry. Not many get the chance to do free hand practice in a dish, very few yet talented get the opportunity to do free hand practice.

9. Encountering of Attitudinal Changes:

You are bound to encounter some attitudinal changes since you will be working with some real professionals and they won’t take any kind of unpleasant or unfair behavior from the interns. Since you will be working in a star property’s kitchen, it’s bound to get all hectic and sudden stress and behavioral changes are expected to be faced. Therefore, exposure to such working environments will help you identify and develop coping mechanisms which help will you to maintain professionalism at work.

10. Challenges and opportunities:

Theoretical principles can be taught in the classroom in the best way, but it is in the WBT venue that a student has to face real challenges and opportunity, i.e. how the real industry works. Challenges such as working for long hours in high pressure are certain to be experienced. With these come opportunities to showcase your skills to the professionals.

11. Introduction to work hierarchy:

I’m sure you have heard the term “hierarchy” in the theoretical classes, but it’s in the WBT where you will get to experience and develop a better understanding of the significance of its’ implementation . The structure will vary slightly depending on the size and style of the organisation, however, as a Culinary student it’s important to know and understand the many positions held within a professional kitchen along with their roles and responsibilities.

12. Get connected and develop your personal network:

Networking is an exchange of information between people, with the ultimate goal of establishing acquaintances and relationships to advance your professional career. WBT provides the perfect environment where you can associate and develop your relations with professionals.