NECAT’S HAITIAN-CREOLE CULINARY ARTS TRAINING PROGRAM GRADUATES 17 PARTICIPANTS
Program Offers Training, Support and a Fair Chance at Employment for Recent Arrivals from Haiti
BOSTON, June 13, 2024—Today the pilot cohort of New England Culinary Arts Training (NECAT)’s program taught in both Haitian-Creole and English, graduated with their ServSafe certification and a certificate in culinary arts, preparing them for employment in the state’s thriving hospitality industry. The 17 adults who completed the program all arrived in Massachusetts in late 2023, and they are eager to fill one of the many kitchen vacancies that exist in the city.
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration has prioritized connecting work authorized individuals with jobs and training programs in sectors such as health care and human services, retail, food services, hospitality, and manufacturing. Workforce development takes innovation and collaboration, and NECAT’s training program is an incredible example of what we can do when we work together to support our workers, both of today and for the future. Congratulations to today’s graduates—we look forward to the contributions you will make in your community and the Commonwealth!” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones
NECAT empowers adults facing barriers to employment through training in culinary skills, social-emotional development and career readiness for success and long-term financial stability. NECAT has trained more than 1,300 adults since 2013 and graduates are working in restaurants, hotels, medical facilities and educational institutions across the state.
“Job seekers with culinary skills are in high-demand and NECAT’s employer partners are looking to fill a wide array of jobs in professional kitchens.” said NECAT Founder & Board Chair, Maarten Hemsley. “With support from MassHire Metro North, we were able adapt our culinary training model to meet the needs of recently arrived adults from Haiti, and work in partnership with the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development to connect graduates with household-sustaining jobs in professional kitchens.”
NECAT graduate and owner of Breez Gourmet Catering, Chef Michelene Desormeau, taught the classes in Haitian-Creole and English. Chef Michelene emigrated from Haiti in 2001 and she has been actively volunteering to bring meals to new arrivals at local hotels and shelters. Chef Michelene was assisted by Anne Voltaire, a NECAT graduate originally from Haiti, and Chef Niurka LeBron, also a NECAT graduate and the chef instructor for NECAT’s ESOL Spanish program.
“NECAT taught me the professional skills I needed to launch my catering business and it’s important to me to pay it forward and help others,” said Chef Michelene Desormeau. “We are building a community of support to lift-up the people who have fled the dangerous situation in Haiti to settle in Boston. This class has shown commitment, determination, and fearlessness to pursue their dreams, and I am so proud of them.”
NECAT received funding for the pilot program through a grant from MassHire Metro North Workforce Board. NECAT plans to offer two additional training cohorts for the Haitian community with additional support from Mass Hire Metro North.
“The MassHire Metro North Workforce Board, in conjunction with the Community Mitigation Fund sponsored by The Mass Gaming Commission, is very excited and proud to partner with NECAT’s Culinary Arts Program. NECAT’S innovative Haitian/English cohort will not only fill a great need for trained kitchen staff here in the Commonwealth but will also move these graduates and their families towards economic self-sufficiency,” said Cyndy Chapin-Levesque, MassHire Metro North Workforce Board Director of Employer Partnerships.
