OurProgram

A recipe for success in the foodservice industry.

Work Options training is fast, free and focused:

Fast

Students can complete training and become employed in as few as 20 days. Training typically lasts 4-6 weeks.

Free

Our program is offered at no cost to students.

Focused

We help students gain job-ready, transferable skills that lead to employment. After completing our core training, most students will be ready to immediately begin job search to find employment. Some will opt to earn the American Culinary Federation Prep Cook Certification, and others will be selected to gain hands-on work experience during a paid internship on The Helping Hen food truck.

Work Options now trains students at three locations:

  • Our new Adams County training site (11860 North Pecos Street, Westminster, 80234) located inside the Adams County Human Services building; and

  • Our Denver training site (1200 North Federal Blvd, Denver, 80204) located inside the Denver Human Services building;

  • Our Mobile Culinary Classroom (at sites throughout the Metro Denver area providing services to people re-entering the community after incarceration.)

What Our ProgramIncludes
Work Options’ job training and support program helps students learn job-ready skills and gain confidence. We work in partnership with students to help each to resolve their individual barriers to sustainable employment. We incorporate hands-on learning so students can practice the skills they have learned in real-world situations. Our job training and support program offers:

Chef Instructors provide technical training in areas such as: knife skills, culinary techniques, kitchen terminology, kitchen math and how to operate, clean, and sanitize kitchen equipment.

Students practice their culinary skills in our busy commercial kitchens, guided by a team of highly-skilled professional chefs.

 

Students earn industry-recognized credentials, such as the ServSafe Food Handler’s certificate, Restaurant Ready certificates from the National Restaurant Association, and a Certificate of Completion after maintaining employment for 90 days.

We help students identify and build upon their individual strengths and interests. Students work with an Employment Specialist on basic needs like obtaining needed ID or transportation assistance. We can assist students in developing childcare solutions, provide referrals for physical or behavioral health needs, and provide assistance in locating appropriate housing resources ; we also offer one-on-one employability coaching and guidance. Our Employment Specialist can make referrals to community-based therapy, as needed, and can help students with safety planning in domestic and/or intimate-partner violence situations.

In addition to our culinary training, we offer short-term cognitive-behavioral group therapy classes to help students learn better coping skills and strategies for how to handle difficult situations. We also offer financial management classes to help students make the most of their earning when they become employed.

We offer a range of classes to help students understand employer expectations and build valuable workplace skills, such as conflict resolution, time management, and teamwork.

Want to become a Work Options student?

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