Work & College Preparation
ACET - Assistant Cook Extended Training
Frequently Asked Questions
 What is ACET?- What will I learn?
- When does ACET start?
- How do I apply?
- What are the admission requirements?
- How many applications are being accepted?
- I'm not ODSP employment support eligible - can I
still participate in ACET?
- Can I participate in ACET part-time?
- Is this a GBC program or a CAMH program?
- What does ACET cost?
- Will participating in ACET cause me to lose the income
support I am currently receiving?
- Work placements are part of ACET. What are these? Will
I earn anything?
- Is ACET the same as an apprenticeship?
- I have an outstanding student loan - can I participate
in ACET?
- Is GBC wheelchair accessible?
- How do I contact ACET? Is there a website?
- I'm concerned about failing - how can I be
sure ACET is right for me?
- Will I get a job at the end?
- I missed application deadline - can
I still get in?
What
is ACET?
Assistant Cook Extended Training (ACET) is a program at George Brown College (GBC) launched in partnership
with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
ACET's goal is to help people recovering from addiction
and mental health histories take the first steps towards a job
in Toronto's food service industry.
What will I learn?
The food service training portion of ACET is based on the Assistant
Cook In-School Apprentice Curriculum approved by the Ministry of
Training, Colleges & Universities. Participants who complete
the classroom and kitchen lab requirements of this curriculum will
be issued an Assistant Cook Extended Training program certificate.
ACET also includes 120 work placement hours at various locations
in the Toronto area. The program will also include several life
skill
workshops on topics ranging
from workplace safety to group dynamics to résumé writing.
When does ACET start?
Begins on January.
How do I apply?
You can print the Application Package (.pdf
file) and mail it to our office
or
call the ACET program office at 416 415-5000 ext. 6790 to request the Application
Package
or email a request to
.
Application
deadline: November
Applicant
interviews will take place in early December
What are the admission requirements?
Program acceptance will be based on your:
- completed application
form
- school qualifications
- recent life history and community support
- interview
- test results and assessments (academic + culinary)
ACET participants must be high school graduates or have mature
student status with Grade 10 Math & English and satisfactory
college assessment test results.
Applicants will also undergo a culinary assessment with ACET
Chef Instructor.
Participants must be ODSP employment supports eligible. There
is some flexibility in cases where the primary diagnosis is addiction
(vs. mental illness). Contact the ACET program office for more
information.
Applicants should also be aware that because of the nature of
the food service industry, an ACET admission requirement is the
ability to work in physically demanding environment. Cooks must
be able to lift heavy pots and boxes weighing more than 20 kg.
They routinely stand for most or all of a shift. Shifts typically
begin early in the morning or finish late at night.
ACET is not suitable for people who would find these physical
requirements challenging.
How many applications are being accepted?
Up to 30 people will be accepted into the ACET program. The first
month of the program will allow you and ACET program staff to assess
your readiness for Assistant
Cook
Extended
Training.
I'm not ODSP employment support eligible - can
I still participate in ACET?
You are only eligible for this program if you are eligible for
ODSP Employment Supports. This does not mean that you must be currently
in this ODSP program, but that you must be ELIGIBLE for it, because
this program is being funded by ODSP Employment Supports. However,
if you have addiction as a primary diagnosis, you may still be
able to participate. Please call the ACET program office for more
information.
Can I participate in ACET part-time?
ACET is a nine-month program with only 15-20 hours of classroom
instruction, kitchen labs and life skill workshops during most
weeks. We have
created this program in consultation with those who have mental
health and addiction problems, and have based our program on what
they recommended would make successful participation easier.
Is this a GBC program or a CAMH program?
Participants will be registered GBC students, with full access
to GBC athletic, library and other student services. In addition,
most classroom and kitchen lab time will be based at GBC.
ACET is being co-sponsored by GBC and CAMH, but participants will
experience it as a community college program, not a clinical one.
What does ACET cost?
There is no program cost for participants, thanks to financial
support from the Ministry of Community & Social Services.
While most of the costs for supplies will be covered, there may
be incidental costs related to being in a college program, such
as meals and optional school supplies. If you choose to have extra
supplies you may have to pay for them yourself.
Will participating in ACET cause me to lose the income support
I am currently receiving?
No, ACET is a training program, not an employment program. Because
you do not earn income while participating in ACET, there should
not be any impact on any government financial assistance that you
are currently receiving.
Work placements are part of ACET. What are these? Will I earn
anything?
Classroom and kitchen lab instruction are important in learning
about working in the food service industry, but there's nothing
like actual on-the-job experience to really build up one's
skills.
ACET includes minimum of 120 work placement hours. The work placements
will not only build your skills, but also start to build up the
experience
that will help you to demonstrate real experience to food service
employers.
As is the case with other similar GBC programs, the work placement
time is considered part of the training and no wage is earned.
However, should you be offered employment (part-time or full-time)
during the course of the ACET program, and you begin earning a
wage, it is your responsibility to report any and all income to
your ODSP Income Support Office.
Is ACET the same as an apprenticeship?
No. The food service training portion of ACET is based on the
Ontario Assistant Cook In-School Apprentice Curriculum, but the
program does not include enough work hours for participants to
complete the Assistant Cook apprenticeship requirements.
I have an outstanding student loan - can I participate
in ACET?
Having an outstanding student loan should not affect your ability
to participate in ACET. If you have any concerns about your particular
situation, please contact the ACET program office.
Is
George Brown College wheelchair accessible?
George Brown College is wheelchair accessible.
How do I contact ACET? Is there a website?
The ACET program office can be reached by calling 416 415-5000
ext. 6790 or by emailing
.
Check out the ACET web page and GBC generally, at www.georgebrown.ca.
I'm concerned about failing - how can I be
sure ACET is right for me?
We Want You To Succeed!
We listened to advice from those who have mental health or addiction
problems and incorporated many elements into the program to help
you succeed.
Support and tutoring will be available through program coaches
and make-up classes will also be offered.
ACET job coaches also provide ongoing study + review sessions.
At the end of the first
month, you and the ACET program staff will have a good idea about
whether ACET is right for you and whether you should continue.
The participants who do not continue will be referred to other
educational options available to them within George Brown College,
as well as other potentially suitable training programs.
Will I get a job at the end?
We can't promise that you'll get a job. However, the
food service industry hires thousands of people every year and
ACET will have a job developer on staff who will introduce you
to potential employers.
I missed the application deadline
- can I still get in?
Contact
the ACET program office at 416-415-5000, ext. 6790.
*Note: .pdf files require Adobe
Acrobat Reader to view and print them. If you don't have
Acrobat Reader, you can get
it here free.
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Revised:
October 23, 2008
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