Purpose: The Culinary Arts Certificate curriculum is designed for persons seeking skills for employment in culinary positions and for those presently employed who desire updating skills for the food service industry.
Apprenticeship Program: The Nation’s Capital Chef’s Association (NCCA), in cooperation with the Hospitality Management Program at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), offer an Apprenticeship Program that combines relevant classroom instruction with on-the-job training required for the National Apprenticeship Training Program of the American Culinary Federation (ACF).
The apprenticeship program may be completed in one and one-half to three years depending on previous course work and food service work experience. The program requires six thousand hours of on-the-job training as an apprentice to a qualified chef in a full service restaurant, club, or hotel. While working, the apprentice attends college classes at Northern Virginia Community College’s Annandale campus one day per week. Upon completion of the program, the apprentice will be qualified to sit for the Certified Cook exam through the American Culinary Federation Educational Institute (ACFEI) and may be classified as a Journeyman Cook through the U.S. Department of Labor. After three years of class work, the apprentice will be two classes away from the Culinary Arts Certificate from Northern Virginia Community College.
1 Special requirement for food laboratories: A white or classic chef uniform is the financial responsibility of the student.
2 Students can take SDV 100 College Success Skills or the SDV 101 Orientation section related to their particular program.
3 The social science elective may be selected from the social/behavioral sciences courses listed under General Education Electives. If you are planning to transfer to another college or university, select social science courses that will meet the other institution’s requirement.