COURSE OVERVIEW

This is the course for those who want to qualify as a Chef or Chef de Partie and to start their career in Commercial Cookery.

During the course, students will gain practical skills in commercial kitchens and a sound understanding of operations in restaurants, hotels, clubs, pubs, cafes and coffee shops, and catering businesses.

Units Of Competency

The SIT40516 Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery (CRICOS code 03509B) comprises 33 units of competency. There are 26 core units and 7 elective units. New Era Institute has organised the units of competency into stages relating to kitchen operations, hospitality skills, and commercial cookery. This results in the efficient delivery of training and assessment and a structure that is very logical for students. The stages include two (2) blocks of work placements.

To be issued the qualification SIT40516 Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, a student must be assessed as competent in 33 units of competency and complete the work placements – 240 hours in a commercial kitchen working as a cook and 100 hours coordinating cooking operations.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Course Delivery And Assessment

The Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery has timetabled over 6 terms (60 weeks)
For the first 4 stages (terms), you attend the Institute and then in stage 5 and stage 6 you combine study and go to work placement.
The course is timetabled in a blended delivery for a scheduled 20 hours per week.
The timetabled hours are split each week between face to face and online. Here is an explanation:

14 hours per week is face to face in the classroom and practical kitchen. This structured delivery is trainer and assessor led using the course resource in the online platform and the equipment provided. This is when you learn, practice, and then complete some of the unit assessments.

6 hours per week is structured online learning using the course resource in the Institute online platform. Every student has their own log-in and must complete weekly required reading, watch demonstration videos and do the online quizzes and written activities. This is when you do more learning, practice in your own time and then complete some of the unit assessments.

We recommend students do an additional 2 hours per week of study and work on the assessments. This is done in your own time if needed but this is not monitored training hours.

During work placement, the 20 hours per week is planned to suit the shifts of the workplace. Your weekly hours may need to change from the classroom timetabled hours and may increase slightly when you go to work placement. You will have plenty of time to understand the details of how work placement will operate, and you must make yourself available to complete the mandatory placements.

COURSE DURATION

The duration of the course is 78 weeks

There are 60 weeks of tuition plus term breaks.

The course is designed to be delivered in 6 terms – each term is 10 weeks. There are term breaks and the end of year break totalling 18 weeks.

More information about intakes dates can be found here.

LOCATIONS

Classroom sessions:

Suite 1, Level 2, 14 Railway Parade Burwood NSW 2134.

It is a short walk to the Institute from Burwood train station.

Practical Kitchen sessions will be delivered at the New Era Institute kitchen facility at Girraween. There is a train station nearby and a shuttle bus provided at no cost to students.

Work Placement:

The location of your work site for the placement will vary and be discussed with you when this happens towards the end of the course at Stages 5 and 6.

Attendance:

Students are required to attend (per week):

1 - 2 days at the training rooms/classes located at Suite 1, Level 2, 14 Railway Parade, Burwood NSW 2134 and 1 day at the Practical Kitchen located at 10/136 Magowar Road GIRRAWEEN NSW 2150 and 6 hours of online study using the e-Learning platform.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The assessment is conducted using a combination of realistic workplace tasks, projects, knowledge tests, observations, logbooks, and feedback from supervisors (third-party reports). The following provides a brief explanation of the assessment methods:

Knowledge Tests. There are short answer questions for most units. The student may research their answers from the course learning materials and notes. These tests are usually completed in class through the online platform that captures your results.

Demonstration. The student is required to demonstrate skills in the workplace. These are captured in observation checklists and reports. These activities will be clearly explained and always relate to duties relevant to wall and floor tiling. These activities allow the assessor to observe the student to apply their knowledge and skills during practical activity.

Project. There are a range of projects for most units that are a case study or based on the workplace.

Workplace Logbooks and Workplace Supervisor Report. Workplace logbooks will be used for assessment to record the required hours and service periods completed. The workplace supervisors will be asked to provide feedback about the student’s performance during the work placement activities. Your assessor will visit and conduct observation assessments and interviews during the work placement.

WORK PLACEMENT

Students in the Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery are required to do practical work placement within a commercial kitchen. New Era Institute has a network on workplaces that will take students for their placement. New Era Institute will establish a formal Work Placement Agreement with the nominated workplace.

The work placement is completed in a block mode period during the course. At stage 5, you work as a cook for 48 complete food service periods covering breakfast, lunch, dinner and special functions and at stage 6 you coordinate cooking operations for 12 shifts.

A work placement logbook is used to record the worked hours and the service periods.

A student who is already working in the hospitality sector and in a commercial kitchen is encouraged to use their existing workplace to complete these practical placement hours providing it meets the requirements of the unit of competency. 

In all cases, New Era Institute will engage with the nominated workplace to ensure that it will provide a suitable environment and the required types of service and cookery to gather practical experience outlined in the units of competency.

New Era Institute also requires a minimum level of supervision for students, a safe working environment and will undertake regular visits to the workplace. Students should note that unless they have established other arrangements with their employer, practical placement is performed as unpaid work.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

There are no specified entry requirements for this qualification from the SIT Tourism, Travel, and Hospitality Training Package.

Noting this, New Era Institute requires persons who undertake this course to:

FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

• • Have attained the age of 18 years or over
  • Demonstrate good command of written and spoken English
  • Verified evidence of IELTS Level 5.5 (no band less than 5.0) or equivalent
  • Have completed an equivalent secondary schooling level of a Higher School Certificate (year 12 in Australian schools)
  • Any AQF qualification at the Certificate III level or above in any discipline area delivered and assessed in English only will be deemed as meeting both the English language and academic entry requirements
  • Meet the Student Visa (Sub-class 500) requirements
  • Please visit the International student's section for more details.

Please note. Students will be made aware and asked to declare that they meet the physical requirements of this course. This includes physical tasks, manual handling such as inventory and using commercial cooking equipment in a commercial kitchen setting.

RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (RPL)

CREDIT TRANSFER (CT)

Applicants can apply for credit transfer where there is an exact match of the units of competency within the course achieved through an accredited VET qualification in an RTO.

FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
If RPL/credit transfer is approved, the student’s COE will be adjusted to reflect any reduction in the period of study the student is enrolled in. The study load will remain the scheduled 20 hours per week as per your visa requirements.

RESOURCEs REQUIREMENTS

Dress code:
Classroom sessions: Students are required to present in neat, casual attire.
Practical Kitchen sessions: There are uniform requirements for practical classes. Students must wear their chef uniform when attending the practical kitchen sessions. Clean, neat presentation is required.

Uniform Starter Kit:

A uniform kit is provided to each student. Additional uniforms can be purchased by the student at their own cost.
1 x white double-breasted Chefs jacket (Not black – Complete with white buttons)
1 x Chefs trousers (Checked – modern or traditional)
1 x white apron
1 x white neckerchief
1x white Chefs hat (skull cap)

Students will provide their own shoes:
1 x shoes heavy duty, non-clip (no sneakers, no runners)

Chefs Starter Toolkit:

A starter toolkit is provided to each student. Additional or replacement tools can be purchased by the student at their own cost.
1 x 25cm/30cm Chef’s knife
1x paring knife
1 x vegetable peeler
1 x thermometer
1 x palette knife
1 x boning knife
1 x fish filleting knife
1 x utility fork
1x steel
1 x sharpening stone
1 x thermal piping bag
1 x set nozzles

There is a one-off fee for the Uniform Starter Kit and Chefs Starter Toolkit.

At orientation, students will be provided with their uniform and starter toolkit and get more detail on where to purchase uniforms and tools of the trade to build their kits or replace equipment.

Classroom resources:

New Era Institute has computer rooms that are set up for students to access the Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery resources during face to face sessions and other study times.

Students are required to login and access the online learning platform for their learning and assessment resources.

Access to a computer which has an internet connection is required to undertake study. Students may bring portable electronic devices to classroom sessions such as small laptops or tablets. Students are advised that no provision will be made to charge these devices in the classroom and charging or power extension leads are not to be used in the classroom.

Students will require basic stationery and a notebook according to their own study preferences.
There is a fee for the student resources and the online learning platform.

AFTER COMPLETION

Students who completed this course gain:

• • A nationally recognised industry qualification
  • Skills and knowledge to to open your own cafe, restaurant or coffee shop

Career opportunities include:

• • Chef - small restaurant or cafe

Chef de Partie – a station chef or line cook who is in charge of a particular area of production in the kitchen. For example:

EXIT POINT AND PATHWAYS

Students must complete all assessments for each unit of competency to be deemed competent in a unit. All 33 units including the work placement must be completed to gain the full qualification.

After achieving SIT40516 Certificate IV in Commercial Cookery, students can progress to SIT50416 Diploma of Hospitality Management.

Students who do not complete the full qualification will receive a Statement of Attainment for units successfully completed.

FEES & OTHER CHARGES

International students

For more information about the tuition fees and other charges, please click on Fees and Charges.