Leah developed a keen interest in cooking from a young age, and after completing her GCSEs, she chose to turn that interest into her next step in education. While researching cooking courses and career pathways, she attended an open evening at SERC, where she talked to the catering tutors and realised that the college was right for her.
On her course, Leah comments, “I really enjoy everything we cover on the course, but my favourite topic is definitely bakery – I love the work we do in class that involves baking breads and pastries, it’s very enjoyable. Throughout the course you learn how to cook food in lots of different ways, and gain skills in boiling, poaching, steaming, braising, stewing, roasting, grilling, and frying to name a few. It’s a great all-round course for learning to prepare food. Most of the time in class you will be physically working in the kitchens on campus, which suits me as I’m definitely more of a hands-on learner rather than someone who likes to sit and write in a classroom.
“The tutors at SERC are great. While doing my GCSEs I never really got on with my teachers, but as soon as I had my first class at SERC, I knew the tutors here were very different and that I would enjoy learning from them, especially in the kitchen facilities which are really good.
“As part of the course we also do a work placement once per week; I work in the White Horse in Saintfield in their kitchens. It’s a great opportunity to put the skills I learn in class into practice, and I love working there and making food for people. After my course, I hope to continue working at the White Horse and progress into a more senior role in the kitchen, which my course will really help with.”
Leah concludes, “I’d one hundred percent recommend SERC; a lot of my friends stayed on to go into sixth form and a lot of the stuff they tell me about their learning environment makes me glad I chose the college instead. At SERC you are more independent and treated like an adult when it comes to getting your work done. It's been a fantastic experience so far.”
