A food safety course is a vital qualification if you want to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. A necessity for those working in a commercial kitchen, it’s also extremely useful for front-of-house staff, room service operatives, bar workers, cleaners, housekeepers and anyone else who might be responsible for food preparation or keeping the kitchen and other surfaces where food is stored or handled in good, safe condition. Luckily, a suitable food handling certificate is easily obtained online, enabling workers to get the qualification they need, no matter what their individual circumstances might be. Here we take a look at five reasons why a growing number of people are choosing to study for their food hygiene certificates online.
1. Study that fits with your work pattern
The nature of hospitality work is such that split shifts, evening work, weekend work or shifts that cover different days and hours, are a common feature. This can mean that attending a course at a specific time and on a particular day each week for a number of weeks can be almost impossible. This is where online learning can be a real advantage: learners can log in at any time to work on their certificate. Not only does this mean that learning can be fitted in around work commitments, but it can also be completed at times that accommodate caring responsibilities and other duties.
2. Fast access to study material
If you opt to take a food handling certificate at a local college or study centre, you will need to physically access the building in order to take advantage of the study material. This can be workable if you live close to the place where the course is being held, and have access to appropriate transport. Unfortunately, not all individuals who wish to take their food hygiene qualifications are in this position. For people who live out-of-town, or who don’t have ready access to a car or public transport, online learning brings the classroom to your doorstep. In addition, online learning saves you travel time to your classroom, freeing up precious minutes (or even hours)for other priorities.
3. Can be commenced at any time
Real-life courses will have a fixed commencement and end date, often coinciding with the start of school terms. If you miss the initial enrollment date, you will normally have to wait until the next one before starting your qualification. For people who are eager to enter the hospitality industry, or who have been promised a job on the basis that they will have the necessary food hygiene qualification by the time they start, there simply isn’t time to wait until the next start date rolls around. In contrast, online qualifications can be started at any time – simply choose the course you want, complete your payment and enrollment, and start studying! It really is that simple.
4. Numerous options to get your workplace observation report
A common concern regarding online food hygiene certificate courses is how best to obtain a suitable workplace observation report. The reality is that it’s often easier to use the digital reporting system than it is to go through the complex system that some colleges demand. Learners need only provide contact details for a suitable individual who can watch them at work in a kitchen (either in a voluntary or in a paid capacity), and the workplace observation report can be successfully completed. It doesn’t even need to be completed by your current employer! A previous employer or individual who has seen you at work in the kitchen in some other situation can also complete it.
5. Learning at your pace
It’s very difficult for classroom learning to be conducted at a pace that suits everyone in the room. Whilst some individuals will already have some prior knowledge and be fast, receptive learners, others will find the work more of a challenge and require longer. The beauty of taking your food handling certification online is that you can work at your own pace. If you tend to be an individual who flies through work, you’ll be able to complete the work quickly. Conversely, if you prefer to go over things more slowly, or would like to take your time (or maybe just don’t have much spare time to do the course and can only manage a few minutes each day), the online learning is still there when you need it.
Get in touch to find out more about our comprehensive range of nationally recognised food handling qualifications.