With renowned culinary programs, community colleges are a delicious place to begin your culinary arts career. From brewing beer to cake decorating, community colleges offer a wide variety of culinary degrees. Learn how to earn a college degree while drinking wine, identify 5-star culinary programs, and turn that baking hobby into a lucrative career.
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We look at an interesting new trend, as more students pursue culinary arts degrees at community colleges. Could popular television programs be fueling the interest?
Culinary arts have become a popular degree program at community colleges across the country. What is fueling this sudden surge of foodies? Some believe it is the growing number of cooking programs on television that tend to glamorize what was once known as a relatively mundane, low-paying industry. TV has also increased interest in food enjoyment, which has further fueled the need for talented chefs – providing more opportunities for those who pursue a two-year degree in culinary arts. As the cycle continues, more college students are taking a serious look at the potential for a culinary arts degree, as well as the best schools to pursue an education in all things culinary.
Los Angeles Colleges See “Explosion” of Enrollment
The culinary arts programs at community colleges in Los Angeles have never been healthier. According to the Daily Breeze, enrollment in some programs has more than doubled within a few years. Some schools are reporting an overflow of students in classes and an even longer wait list for students who were unable to get into the classes of their choice.
For example, the culinary arts program at Los Angeles Mission College has more than doubled the student population in just three years – from 250 students to 600 currently. The school has recently expanded the space for their program, adding an extensive new facility that boasts seven full kitchens equipped with some of the latest cooking technology. The $40 facility seemed to go up almost overnight, with plans
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The microbrewing industry is growing tremendously, and now aspiring beer brewers can get the training they need starting at community college.
Home brewing has become a popular pastime for brew masters across the country. The art of mixing hops, malt and yeast to produce a wide range of beer flavors mixes the best science, math and home economics have to offer. If this list sounds like a roster for higher education courses, that is apparently what some community colleges have thought as well! This craze has moved to campuses, with more and more colleges offering classes in how to brew the perfect glass of ale. We have a listing of some of the colleges featuring beer brewing training, along with the details of the courses they offer.
Cabrillo College Gets into the Brewing Act
California resident Mark Taylor has a love of beer brewing that dates back more than a decade. This amateur brew master mixes a variety of ales at home, and he keeps four beers on tap in a converted refrigerator. Taylor decided he wanted to share his love of his craft with others and sent proposals for a home brewing course to four different community colleges nearby. According to a report at the Santa Cruz Sentinel, those first four offers fell short, but another community college eventually took Taylor up on his offer.
Cabrillo College in Aptos decided to give Taylor's beer brewing class a go. 17 students signed up for the first five-week course – just one shy of a full load. The course is now offered three times a year, each semester and during the
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Today's community college culinary and hospitality programs come with impressive training restaurants and hotels. Learn more about these five-star worthy training facilities and programs.
In the past, students who were interested in stellar culinary or hospitality programs would look to four-year universities to supply the necessary training to launch a successful career. However, community colleges have recognized the rise in popularity of these professions and have responded to the call with state-of-the-art facilities to rival any university.
If you are interested in a career in the hospitality industry, be inspired by what these top community colleges across the country have to offer.
Career Opportunities in the Hospitality Industry
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics separates the hospitality industry into three distinct categories:
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Food service and drinking places
- Hotels and other accommodations
The BLS predicts that job opportunities will be plentiful in both the food service and hotel category, due to the prevalence of young people within the industry and the high turnover rate. They also estimate that in 2008, there were approximately 546,000 privately owned food and drinking establishments across the United States and more than 64,000 places providing an assortment of accommodation options. In addition, many hotels offer their own restaurants, with chefs and support staff working directly within the hotel industry.
According to the BLS, jobs in the hotel industry are expected to grow at a rate of approximately 5% between 2008 and 2018. Food service jobs are expected to grow by 8% within the same time frame. While many individuals gain employment in these industries right out of high school, additional training provides a competitive edge, as well as the
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If you enjoy wine, learn more about how you can earn a college degree in winemaking and wine tasting at your local community college.
While some may believe that wine tasting is simply an enjoyable hobby, an after work indulgence, or a unique cultural phenomenon, the art of wine is truly much more. Today, as the interest in wine continues to grow, students across the country are now pursing this art as the main focus of their college studies. In community colleges across the country, students can study the art of wine tasting, making, and product distribution, which leads to an array of related careers.
Even amidst stressful and uncertain economic times, the wine industry is proving to stand strong, according to MSNBC. Recession-proof careers in the wine industry are continuing to grow. With a myriad of options, alongside stable job security, the art of wine can open up incredible new pastures for today’s community college student.
Viticulture and Enology
One of the primary careers in the wine industry begins right at wine’s roots. Viticulture and Enology involve the study of grape growing and wine making. Available at many regionally specific community colleges (especially in areas conducive to growing grapes), students can earn their degrees by learning about the complex details of wine harvesting. From Napa Valley College in California to Piedmont Community College in Virginia, students are preparing for a lucrative career at the core of the wine industry.
For example, students attending Surry Community College (SCC), located in Debson, North Carolina, are able to explore the many facets of wine production. As Surry Community College explains, “The Viticulture & Enology
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