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News

Why NECAT? Why Now?

September 28, 2020

It’s now more than six months since the pandemic descended, throwing our lives into a troubling chaos. With no immediate remedy on the horizon, it can seem like an unlikely time to dive into a full-time, in-person job training program. Is it safe? Will even be jobs available on the other end?

But for current student, Sharday, there was no better time to start her training at NECAT than now. COVID had reduced her hours at her part-time job, providing the opportune moment to take her culinary skills and career to the next level.

“For me, there was no better time to enroll at NECAT,” says current student, Sharday.

“NECAT’s informational Zoom meeting made me feel comfortable that NECAT had all the social distancing practices in place to keep me safe. And I was excited to hear about the great relationships NECAT has in the food services industry.”

Sharday said that knowing that NECAT’s employer partners collaborate and advise on NECAT’s curriculum and are eager to hire NECAT graduates made her feel confident she was making the right move. “What I didn’t expect was that this program is so much more than just learning about cooking. I am achieving personal growth and professional development. I’ve always wanted cooking to be part of my future and this is giving me the skills and access to great jobs.”

For Lawren, being in NECAT’s program right now is a matter of survival. “I’m at Hope House in a recovery program, fighting for my life and my future. My sobriety is the most important personal issue I deal with every day,” he says. “I’m ready to reinvent myself and find a career that will bring me joy.” Lawren worked for years helping Alzheimer patients and has dealt with a lot of sorrow. “Happiness in my life came from cooking for my family, so now that I’m ready to face the world, I believe that a job as a professional cook is something I can really do well and for a long time… I’m ready and thankful that NECAT reopened.”

Conducting in-person training during a pandemic does not come without its challenges, but NECAT’s dedicated staff has been up to the task. “I know we are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the staff and students,” says Chef Bob Krajewski. “What I didn’t account for was how different the teaching experience would be for me, as I’m an up-close and personal type of instructor. Teaching students with masks on and behind plastic shields, I realize how much I rely on the visual cues of facial expressions to gauge their understanding. Also, I miss the intimacy of working closely together during cooking demos, having them all huddled around me.”

Yet, this hasn’t deterred Chef Bob. “I’ve become creative with technology to enhance the demo experience for the students while ensuring appropriate physical boundaries. And, I now devote more time to having individual conversations with students. As the saying goes, there’s always a way to do it better. Just find it.”

A demo with Chef Bob at a safe distance.

Indeed, NECAT does not stop in finding a better way to do things. Since reopening in July, NECAT has prepared and graduated 28 unemployed adults for work in food services. And there are jobs in Boston – more coming online every week.  NECAT is an important link between the employers and the workers they need. We are helping restaurants significantly reduce one major cost of reopening – and that is the sourcing of qualified cooks, which is supporting the revival of the local economy and helping our students get back on their feet quickly. For NECAT, there’s no time like the present!

 

 

 

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NECAT
23 Bradston Street
Boston, MA 02118

(617) 442-3600
info@ne-cat.org

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In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

NECAT Boston Training Center

NECAT Boston Training Center
23 Bradston Street
Boston, MA 02118

NECAT’s headquarters is our main training facility and home to our administrative offices. The Center includes a classroom auditorium with a demonstration kitchen, our teaching kitchen and the Career Services and Alumni Engagement Center. There are always two cohorts in session – Black Hats (the first seven weeks of training in the classroom) and Orange Hats (second seven weeks of training in the kitchen) and ten cohorts a year will graduate.

The next scheduled cohort start date is August 16, 2023. Click here to find out how you can register.

East Boston YMCA

215 Bremen Street
East Boston, MA 02128
617-569-9622

NECAT offers a 12-week culinary training program taught at the East Boston YMCA. The mission and program elements mirror NECAT’s Boston Program, but the geographic target areas for program participants and employment are focused in East Boston and Chelsea. Additionally, NECAT’s training in East Boston will be conducted in Spanish and English, respectful of the language and cultural diversity of local participants. East Boston has the largest percentage of Spanish speaking adults in Boston.

The next scheduled cohort start date is September 2023. Click here to find out how you can register.

Behind the Walls

Suffolk County House of Correction (SCHC)

NECAT’s Behind the Walls program brings our holistic training program directly to the adults incarcerated at SCHC. Working in partnership with the re-entry team at SCHC, and using the prison’s teaching kitchen, a NECAT chef fulfills NECAT’s curriculum to the same standards as its Boston program. NECAT’s career services team provides job counseling and placement services when graduates are released from incarceration.