In a bid to bolster the expertise of food service professionals, Columbus City Schools has wrapped up a summer-long initiative aimed at enhancing food safety certifications, a move praised by many as an investment in employee growth and district-wide quality. Over the months of July and August, dedicated staff underwent comprehensive training in food safety at Columbus Downtown High School, culminating in the experience of taking a ServSafe certification exam, deemed essential for those angling for a kitchen manager position.
The endeavor, a collaborative effort among the departments of Food Services, Adult & Community Education, and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE), offered a structured path for staff members to advance their vocational skills, lauded by OAPSE President Lois Carson for its broader positive ripple effects across the district, “The more we provide professional development, the more enriched the District is,” Carson said Columbus City Schools, appreciating the program's capacity to lift the collective prowess of the workforce. Following a week-long intensive study, the participants were given a chance to take an exam provided by ServSafe, a nationally recognized authority in educational resources and accreditations specific to restaurant professionals.
Meanwhile, Joe Brown, the Director of Food Services, underscored the need to recognize internal talent and provide avenues for career advancement, “We have a lot of great people in our department, [and] our people need to have opportunities,” Brown told Columbus City Schools. The emphasis during the sessions was on equipping the participants with the necessary tools for growth within the CCS landscape.
One of the recent program attendees, Alexis Benvenuttie, a cook at Beechcroft High School, seized the training as a stepping stone to managerial roles, expressing an eagerness to lead in the future. With an eye on one day managing her own kitchen, Benvenuttie's nine-year tenure with Columbus City Schools has been punctuated by this recent endeavor, “I want to get certified so I can manage my own kitchen one day,” she reiterated her aspiration, confident that the training sessions would bolster her chances to excel in the ServSafe certification test. The success stories emanating from the training sessions underscore the positive impact of such initiatives, with anticipation high among the program's conveners to witness the ongoing benefits of professional growth among the district’s food service staff.
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