Looking for suggestions please. With regards to a different career path.

job seeker

Hi all

I am looking for a change of career. I was training to be a chef, however I have decided that I want a completely different change of career. Mostly because of health reasons. Although, there is also a part of me that realises that I should never have gotten into this industry in the first place.

I have also spent days washing the pots, serving as a waiter, doing a bit behind the bar and cleaning rooms. I tried these other roles in case there was another aspect in the hotel, which I liked. Although I wasn't too keen on any of these positions at all.

So I'm basically looking for an office job now. But I am not too sure where to start. I have the B.A. honours culinary arts degree.

I'd be open to anything in an office environment, with office hours etc.

What I considered:

Insurance - I was going to do the insurance internship. I feel that this would be a good opportunity. Although, I'm not sure how good id be at hitting targets in sales.

I.T. - Although, I wouldn't be good at the coding aspect of it.


Marketing - However, I'm just not sure how good I'd be at this in general.


So I am looking for an advice or other recommendations at all.

It has gotten to the stage where I am becoming extremely worried about this now. I do see other people my age working away at what they love and I'm here at 24 not knowing what I am at all.. It's quite depressing..

Anyway Thanks in advance for any assistence..

badboyblast

job seeker wrote: »

Hi all

I am looking for a change of career. I was training to be a chef, however I have decided that I want a completely different change of career. Mostly because of health reasons. Although, there is also a part of me that realises that I should never have gotten into this industry in the first place.

I have also spent days washing the pots, serving as a waiter, doing a bit behind the bar and cleaning rooms. I tried these other roles in case there was another aspect in the hotel, which I liked. Although I wasn't too keen on any of these positions at all.

So I'm basically looking for an office job now. But I am not too sure where to start. I have the B.A. honours culinary arts degree.

I'd be open to anything in an office environment, with office hours etc.

What I considered:

Insurance - I was going to do the insurance internship. I feel that this would be a good opportunity. Although, I'm not sure how good id be at hitting targets in sales.

I.T. - Although, I wouldn't be good at the coding aspect of it.


Marketing - However, I'm just not sure how good I'd be at this in general.


So I am looking for an advice or other recommendations at all.

It has gotten to the stage where I am becoming extremely worried about this now. I do see other people my age working away at what they love and I'm here at 24 not knowing what I am at all.. It's quite depressing..

Anyway Thanks in advance for any assistence..

The supply chain industry is a very interesting career if you wanted to have a look into it, you would have a little bit of background from managing your food inventory and also a little bit of quality control if you dealt with haccp.

Food buyers are always required in places, check it out, might be a suggestion, procurement or supply chain.

BelovedAunt

Check out https://springboardcourses.ie/

They do a lot of conversion courses in IT and I think the fees are covered by the government.

job seeker

badboyblast wrote: »

The supply chain industry is a very interesting career if you wanted to have a look into it, you would have a little bit of background from managing your food inventory and also a little bit of quality control if you dealt with haccp.

Food buyers are always required in places, check it out, might be a suggestion, procurement or supply chain.

Hi, thank you for your suggestion. However I wouldn't be very knowledgeable in this industry. What areas of work are there in this industry? Also what would the starting role be? As, I'd assume I'd be starting at the bottom in this industry? Thanks.

job seeker

BelovedAunt wrote: »

Check out https://springboardcourses.ie/

They do a lot of conversion courses in IT and I think the fees are covered by the government.

Hi, thanks for your suggestion also, that's also an option to have. Although I'd not really know what area of I.T. to try to get into.

Also, would a level 8 spring board course be the same as a level 8 honours degree? I've never heard of such a program..

Thanks for your suggestion though..

BelovedAunt

job seeker wrote: »

Hi, thanks for your suggestion also, that's also an option to have. Although I'd not really know what area of I.T. to try to get into.

Also, would a level 8 spring board course be the same as a level 8 honours degree? I've never heard of such a program..

Thanks for your suggestion though..

A lot of the springboard computing courses are general so you would get to do a few different areas in them.

Another option is Fast Track to IT. The springboard level 8’s are the same on paper as an honours degree but getting an internship can be challenging, whereas from what I’ve read FIT organise the internship before you begin studying with them.

job seeker

BelovedAunt wrote: »

A lot of the springboard computing courses are general so you would get to do a few different areas in them.

Another option is Fast Track to IT. The springboard level 8’s are the same on paper as an honours degree but getting an internship can be challenging, whereas from what I’ve read FIT organise the internship before you begin studying with them.

Thanks again! So I'm guessing level 8 spring board course will be as difficult as my final year at college? It was level 8 honours and included a dissertation and plenty of assignments and exams.


As for the Fast Track to IT, there doesn't seem to be anything around Sligo unfortunately and what ever I viewed is all level 5/6..

Thanks for the reply regardless!

JustAThought

You successfully completed 3 or 4 year degree in culinary arts so thats a good base. Was there any business or management component to this or was it all food and cooking amd nutrition?

BelovedAunt

job seeker wrote: »

Thanks again! So I'm guessing level 8 spring board course will be as difficult as my final year at college? It was level 8 honours and included a dissertation and plenty of assignments and exams.


As for the Fast Track to IT, there doesn't seem to be anything around Sligo unfortunately and what ever I viewed is all level 5/6..

Thanks for the reply regardless!

No problem

Yes they squeeze a lot into a year! There’s also an option to do it part time over two years, which might be favourable considering you’d be still be only 26 finishing it and you’d have more time to get to learn the material.

job seeker

JustAThought wrote: »

You successfully completed 3 or 4 year degree in culinary arts so thats a good base. Was there any business or management component to this or was it all food and cooking amd nutrition?

It was a 4 year degree! Nutrition wasn't apart of the course at all come to think of it!

Anyway, In my final year the main subjects were:

Food Regulatory Affairs (European food law, this was very basic)

Artisan Food Products (Food product development)

Specialised Kitchen & Larder (Cooking)

Marketing Decisions & Consumer Behaviour (Marketing)

Applied Research Project (Dissertation).

job seeker

BelovedAunt wrote: »

No problem

Yes they squeeze a lot into a year! There’s also an option to do it part time over two years, which might be favourable considering you’d be still be only 26 finishing it and you’d have more time to get to learn the material.

I see what you're saying! I am just still slightly unsure about I.T. though. However, I am unsure about any career path I consider. Mainly, doubting myself and thinking what if I'm not able for it!?

JustAThought

What area was your dissertation in and what were the core subjects in other years and then the ones you liked and did well in?

(Seriously! No nutrition! How can you design a course to teach food for 4 years and not teach how it is good/bad for.you in different quantities/balances!!!?)

job seeker

JustAThought wrote: »

What area was your dissertation in and what were the core subjects in other years and then the ones you liked and did well in?

(Seriously! No nutrition! How can you design a course to teach food for 4 years and not teach how it is good/bad for.you in different quantities/balances!!!?)

I done my dissertation on the effects of obesity in third level college students.

My other subjects include

3rd year:

Accounting Practice (This was basically doing fake accounts)
Food & Beverage Management (This was the theory of F&B management)
Pastry & Confectionery (Pastry practical)
Food Marketing (This was cost control of menu's etc.)

2nd year:

Bakery & Desserts (Practical)
Culinary Events & Promotion
Seafood Processing (fish processing etc.)
French Language
Business Law & Ethics (laws of running a business)
Bakery & Desserts (Practical)

1st year

Communications (communication skills.)
Pastry, Bake & Desserts (practical)
IT (mostly word processing)
Culinary Fundamentals (practical)
Learning to Learn (Basically different ways to learn and creative writing)


Yeah, no nutrition. Extremely bizarre!

job seeker

Has, anyone else have an other suggestion? Anything considered at all.