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[abculatter_2]

I hate that sentence. So. Freaking. Much.

Somewhat recently, I've discovered how fun and easy it is to make food, and began realizing how great this would be as a career. Unfortunately, I've already chosen to major in Fine Arts for High School, and don't want to just fudge that since it's the only AP class I'm going to be able to take. Plus, it's always good to have a fall-back. However, I'd also like to get started on an apprenticeship/internship/employment/anything which may help me prepare for and achieve a culinary career before this year's done.

And every single program I find is either out-of-state, college, or has that freaking sentence attached to the requirements. On top of that, who's really to employ someone who hasn't even finished high-school yet, and has no prior culinary background what-so-ever?

This is really more a rant (a pathetically short one at that) caused by THAT F*CKING SENTENCE once again crushing my feeble hopes that I can finally stop searching for something to do with my life and actually start doing something, but if you can help me in any way find something please do so.

[Footkerchief]

Have you tried just looking for a job instead of an internship program per se?  Also, your HS major means basically nothing, the arts aren't that great of a fallback, and the AP art exams are a bitch, unless you mean art history or something.

[MantisMan]

Depending on what grade you're in I wouldn't worry too much about it.

As far as working goes, try working at a local restaurant or pizza place, if you can find one that does real restaurant food as well. You'll probably start as a dishwasher, but make sure you show them that you're interesting in being a cook. They'll likely train you a little bit in preparing simple foods like salads or poutines or pastas, and gradually let you cook more and more. You could be a short order cook in a couple months. Then you use this job as your "prior cooking experience".

Regarding needing to be a High School graduate: High School is going to be over sooner than you'll know. I found that in the last couple years of High School time seemed to be passing faster and faster. I would blink, and a week would pass, or so it seemed. Besides, once you're in post-secondary school, maybe you can take a culinary arts course or two.

[Dasleah]

If you can't commit yourself to something as boringly linear and socially awful as High School, odds are you wouldn't last long in any kind of workforce anyway.

[Tellemurius]

our school had a restaurant program that would train you for a year in the culinary arts and then place you in a exceptional restaurant for your internship. i think you were guaranteed to enter Johnson And Wales if you finished the course. now colleges want the GED and diploma requirements because they want to make sure you can handle the workload, why do you care? are you failing?

[Heron TSG]

If you can't commit yourself to something as boringly linear and socially awful as High School, odds are you wouldn't last long in any kind of workforce anyway.

it sounds like he's in the middle of high school, not that he's dropped out.

[Enzo]

Indeed, wanting to gain practical experience while in highschool certainly doesn't show a lack of commitment or work ethic.

Mantisman makes a fair point, you can just take a crap job making pizza's or something while you're in highschool. It's experience at least vaguely related to your field, and a lot of employers appreciate seeing that sort of thing on a resume. Same goes for any job you can land in the kitchen of a real restaurant, even dishwashing. Highschools not that long and not that hard, it'll be over quick and you can move on to bigger and better things.

This probably isn't typically how it plays out, but my buddy took a two-year culinary arts course and got a snazzy hotel restaurant gig right out of the gate, and his only experience was 3 years at Boston Pizza.

[Lord Shonus]

Talk to your guidance counselor, if your school can afford them. They often have means of connecting students with opportunities (which is a big reason for that sentence, as there are easier ways of hetting HS interns than advertising.) In fact, it's kind of their job.

[abculatter_2]

Talk to your guidance counselor, if your school can afford them. They often have means of connecting students with opportunities (which is a big reason for that sentence, as there are easier ways of hetting HS interns than advertising.) In fact, it's kind of their job.

My school's a big, and apparently pretty high-class school (I heard once that it's the third top high school in the entire United States), so we actually have... I think 4 or 5 guidance counselors, each with their own section of students based on their name's first letter and if they're in 9th or 10th, or in 11th or 12th grade. And yes, I've talked to mine, along with the culinary teacher and the secretary in a special college and career room we have. None of them had any thing related to what I was looking for, but the guidance counselor said she'll look around for me.


Also, for working at a local restaurant, I have no idea where to start. I'm sure there's an opportunity out there somewhere but the only way I know of how to look for it myself is a long, soul-destroying and hope-crushing process which I really, really don't want to do again... though I know I have too.

And the people who are saying High School is fast; maybe I don't want to join the workforce so quickly if this is what you consider fast.

[Enzo]

And the people who are saying High School is fast; maybe I don't want to join the workforce so quickly if this is what you consider fast.

In retrospect, it's fast. At the time, it's the longest thing in the world. It's a weird thing.

Also, for working at a local restaurant, I have no idea where to start. I'm sure there's an opportunity out there somewhere but the only way I know of how to look for it myself is a long, soul-destroying and hope-crushing process which I really, really don't want to do again... though I know I have too.

What, like...handing out resume's and stuff? Describing that as soul-destroying and hope-crushing is a little...dramatic. I need a little background here. Have you ever had a job before? Are you in your last year (sounds like it) of highschool?

[Ephemeriis]

First of all, take a deep breath and relax.  You're in highschool.  You've got your entire life ahead of you.  To be completely honest - what you do now is going to have almost no bearing on the rest of your life.

Sure, you want to show up, get decent grades, graduate, all that stuff.  I'm not suggesting that you spend all day getting drunk because it won't matter.

But your choice of classes in highschool?  Nobody cares.  Your GPA in highschool?  Nobody cares.

Hell, once you've had a job or two...  Nobody even cares about what you did in college.

You think you want to get into culinary stuff?  Fine.  Go get a job.  Apply around town.  I wouldn't recommend anything like McDonald's as that's barely food, much less cooking...  But I'm sure there's a family-owned restaurant or a little pizza shop or something like that.  They probably won't let you start out cooking right away.  You'll wash dishes for a while, maybe work your way up to peeling vegetables, eventually you might be doing some prep cooking.  But it'll be experience, and it'll show that you've got an interest.

And the people who are saying High School is fast; maybe I don't want to join the workforce so quickly if this is what you consider fast.

I'm sure there's an opportunity out there somewhere but the only way I know of how to look for it myself is a long, soul-destroying and hope-crushing process which I really, really don't want to do again...

Oh, man, are you in for a rude awakening...

I know you don't want to hear it.  I didn't want to hear it at the time, either.  But seriously - enjoy it while you can.

Highschool is nothing.

It's only four years of your life.  That goes by in a flash.  My wife and I have been married for 8 years and it seems like the wedding was just yesterday.  Time flies.

And it's likely that the only responsibility you really have is school.  I remember that.  Just having to wake up in the morning, go to class, do some homework, pass some tests...  Maybe take out the trash or clean my room...  Sure, at the time I thought I had it rough.  These days I have more responsibility than that when I'm on vacation.

So...  Yeah...  Relax.  You've got your whole life ahead of you.  Do what looks interesting, what seems fun.  Make some mistakes.  Learn from them.  Don't worry so much.

[abculatter_2]

I'm in my junior year of high school, and perhaps I was being a bit dramatic with the description. I've never had a job before, and it's rather intimidating when you have no idea what the hell you're supposed to do and have little if any support whatsoever.

Also, I'm 17, if I haven't already stated it.

Also also, I seem to keep getting the same advice over and over again... maybe I should stop making these threads, expecting someone to pull a magic employment-bunny out of their ass.

[Tellemurius]

I'm in my junior year of high school, and perhaps I was being a bit dramatic with the description. I've never had a job before, and it's rather intimidating when you have no idea what the hell you're supposed to do and have little if any support whatsoever.

Also, I'm 17, if I haven't already stated it.

Also also, I seem to keep getting the same advice over and over again... maybe I should stop making these threads, expecting someone to pull a magic employment-bunny out of their ass.

im 18 and without a job, my best course was getting back into school and get a degree.

[Graebeard]

I don't know where you've been looking and seeing that sentence pop up, but if it's on a regular job posting then it's probably just there to weed out the drop-outs.  Since you're not a drop out I'd take a chance and apply anyway.  The only thing you're out is postage for the resume, or less if you email.

In my experience it's really easy getting a job.  It's much harder than you'd think finding responsible people who show up for work sober most of the time.  The hard part is getting a job you like that pays well, but if you want to work with food then I can guarantee that your first job will include neither good times nor good pay.

[Blargityblarg]

Another suggestion for getting some cooking experience is in a supermarket; apply as a checkout chump and say during your interview that you'd also be happy to work in the Bakery/Deli/Whateverthefuck section.