By Arielle Follett
We use it every day, both for pleasure and for our livelihood: food.
And while it’s not something we think much about, there are full-time experts at Algonquin that do so all the time.
“Without food, there is no nutrition and without management, you can’t get things done effectively and efficiently,” said program co-ordinator Mary Elizabeth Davies.
At just four years old, the food and nutrition management program teaches students about those three keywords.
This graduate-certificate targets students with health-related degrees or diplomas in programs such as culinary management and hospitality and tourism.
“Our objective is to build on the skills and knowledge these students have learned from their previous education and to give them additional experience to work in a health care field as managers in the industry,” said Davies.
Students graduate with these skills and a five-week placement under their belts, as well as accreditation from the Canadian Society of Nutrition Management. This accreditation is mandatory to be a food service manager in a long-term care center in Canada, the main hirer of Algonquin’s graduates.
Graduates of the program also go on to work for retirement homes, food magazines, food quality control centers, hospitals and food distributors.
“The key credential in this field and this program is society,” Davies said.
Food and nutrition managers are a fundamental part of any team.
“Without a person with knowledge of food and management, the person that is being cared for will have a stagnant quality of life. It will not be maintained and enhanced,” Davies said. “This role allows a person in a retirement home or a long-term care center to come down to the dining room and get a light, nutritious lunch.”
Tilly Hartshorn, a graduate of the program from 2013, is working as a food writer at Epicure, a lifestyle company which sells a large line of spices. Her job requires her to write copy for social media, labels, packaging, videos and promotions.
“I only have good things to say about the program,” Hartshorn, who came from the UK to study the program, said. “It was very intense and I learned a lot. I use the skills both at work and at home when cooking for myself.”
“We establish the competencies the graduates have to have,” said Davies. “We’re constantly improving and our grads are successful. I’m proud to have been a part of these students’ pasts. I get so excited to see the magic of our program in these students’ work.”