From work experience to employment: SEND student’s passion for cooking lands him internship at North Northamptonshire Estate
Culture and tourism09 October 2024
A student from a SEND college has secured a supported internship within The Chester House Estate’s catering team.
After his two years at the Creating Tomorrow College, student Zec Taylor has progressed into his supported internship in The Farmhouse kitchen, working alongside professional chefs to make, present and serve food and drink to customers.
Currently, Zec supports day to day tasks including making barista-style coffee, preparing and cooking items on The Farmhouse popular menu alongside professional chefs, and perfecting presentation skills on dishes.
My love for cooking started with making cakes at 10 years old when I made my brother a strawberry birthday cake. I started work experience in The Farmhouse in my first year at Creating Tomorrow College washing up and clearing tables, and now in my internship I have been preparing sandwiches and practising my latte art. I even have my own chef whites!Zec Taylor, 20
The wider Estate provides work experience for students at Creating Tomorrow College on their Pathway to Employment study programme within its marketing, events, facilities and administration departments, with the aim to help equip them with employability skills to progress into jobs after their studies.
Since opening in October 2021, the team at the Chester House Estate have welcomed a number of students from the Creating Tomorrow Trust on work experience and Zec is a prime example of why we are a work experience provider.Cllr Helen Howell, North Northamptonshire Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism
Providing work experience in a professional environment opens doors to students, especially those who have special educational needs, and helps them step into professions they may not have otherwise heard of. It is great that Zec is working in the Farmhouse as an intern - it was wonderful to meet him, and I look forward to seeing how his career progresses.
We are immensely proud of Zec and all he has achieved through our Pathway to Employment programme. His transition to a Supported Internship at The Chester House Estate is a testament to his hard work, determination, and growth. It’s exciting to see him take this crucial step toward achieving his goal of full-time employment, and we look forward to supporting his continued success. Our partnership with The Chester House Estate has been fundamental to this fabulous outcome.Gareth Ivett, Principal of Creating Tomorrow College
More information about the Creating Tomorrow College.
More information the Farmhouse at the Chester House Estate.
The Chester House Estate is overseen by North Northamptonshire Council and opened in October 2021, following an extensive £17m Nationally Lottery Heritage Funded restoration project.