The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas is an indispensable school, which has contributed to the success of the luxurious hotels and casinos we have across Las Vegas.
Inside the professional training facility are replicas of various kitchens and hotel suites, such as you might find at the MGM or Tropicana casinos. These amazing rooms are used to train students in real-life scenarios. Even the hallways are painted with messages that inspire excellence.
Anyone interested in working in the hospitality and service industry should definitely visit this school, where they train people for successful careers. Since the Culinary Academy opened in 1993, they have trained more than 40,000 adults. It’s really amazing how students from different countries can learn together about tourism and customer service.
All of the replica hotel suites are very beautiful. Students wear standard uniforms, as if they are actually working at one of the big hotels or casinos. During training students have only five minutes to arrange the beds, and a total of twenty minutes to clean the entire room. This is an essential part of each student’s evaluation and grade.
Students can learn all the standard operations of this multi-billion dollar industry. In addition to teaching cleanliness, the Academy teaches how to work in a big kitchen and prepare food such as pastries.
All the training facilities are very nice, especially the Westside Bistro which is open to the public. In this unique restaurant, professional chefs and students work together side-by-side. You can order from the menu, or enjoy the buffet. I had the opportunity to eat and talk with a lot of the students. Customer service and cleanliness are very important parts of each student’s training. The prices are reasonable, the food is delicious, and everyone is friendly and has a big smile.
The Culinary Academy is an internationally recognized model for workplace education and vocational training. In addition to the restaurant there is also a catering division, Culinary Arts Catering, which provides banquets at their events center. And the Academy is a caterer and concessionaire for the prestigious Smith Center for the Performing Arts.
Each year, the Academy prepares several thousand individuals in 11 job classifications for the hospitality industry; including baker’s helper, bar back, bar porter, bus person, food server, guest room attendant, house person/utility porter, professional cook, sommelier, steward, and wine server.
Applicants for whom English is a second language take written and oral assessment tests during orientation. This helps to determine whether they have the English language proficiency to go directly into a vocational class, or whether they need to start with Vocational English for Speakers of Other Languages (VESOL).This course addresses the vocational language needs of non-native English speakers. The program is designed to help students communicate effectively with hotel guests, supervisors, and co-workers while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and customer service.
The Academy has partnerships with the Culinary Union 226, Bartenders Union 165, and 26 major properties on the Strip. In 2013, 58 percent of the graduates were Hispanic, 27 percent African-American, 9 percent Caucasian, and 6 Asian/Islander.
The training provides the vocational education, employability basics, language support, and customer service skills needed to obtain and succeed at a job in the hospitality industry.
http://www.theculinaryacademy.org/
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