Catering Students have a sweet time in St Lucia
A group of Catering students from North Lindsey College gained valuable knowledge and a host of new skills during a two-week Turing Scheme work placement in Saint Lucia.
Visits to Hotel Chocolat and Castries Market were among the cultural experiences students from DN Colleges Group enjoyed alongside a culinary tour and work placement sessions during their time on the island, thanks to the partnership with The Caribbean Elective. In addition, the students and staff visited a local farm to learn about all the aspects of agriculture, witnessed a cookery masterclass hosted by Chef Orlando, one of the Caribbeans finest chefs and participated in a cookery competition at the 5-star Sandals Grande Hotel Resort.
The group of 10 students from North Lindsey College and Doncaster College, both part of DN Colleges Group, were the first of 8 cohorts heading out to Saint Lucia, Finland, Indonesia and the USA to further their vocational studies after securing funding through The Turing Scheme.
Kian Heeley (Catering Student) said: “My experience in St Lucia was absolutely brilliant, it changed my perspective on everything, I loved every single moment. I went out to St Lucia not knowing anyone and I made friends from people I didn’t know, St Lucia has literally opened up my cooking skills to a whole different world and I can’t wait to go back.”
Danielle Barnard (Catering Tutor at North Lindsey College) said: “The students experienced a wide range of work experience within the catering and hospitality industry. From local restaurants to renowned 5-star resorts and everything in between. They worked with some of the best and most famous Chefs on the island, taking part in 1-1 tutorials and visiting local markets. This trip allowed learners to gain skills needed in employment such as communication, teamwork, an understanding of local produce, importation, and seasonality. Visiting local markets, tours of farms and cooking with locals inspired learners to use different produce and embrace different cultures. This opportunity transformed shy students into confident Chefs and taking part in this once in a lifetime experience will be a fantastic addition to any CV when taking the next steps in their careers.”
DN Colleges Group has been awarded more than £300,000 by the UK government’s international education programme to send over 100 students and accompanying staff on the potentially life-changing trips.
Liam Marsh, International Placement Supervisor at DN Colleges Group, said: “Many of our students have never owned a passport, or even travelled outside of the local area, so the impact of the Turing Scheme for us is huge. If the Turing Scheme funding wasn’t there, many of our students simply couldn’t afford to access these incredible opportunities.”
