Program Duration and Maximum Time for Completion
The Retail and Hospitality Careers Certificate is a full-time program. It is thirty-eight (38) weeks in length, with twenty-six (26) weeks of classroom/lab/industry orientation and training, and twelve (12) weeks of workplace experience placements.
The Retail and Hospitality Certificate provides a supportive environment in which students receive skills training and information in preparation for entry level positions in the retail or hospitality industries. Instructional strategies include, but are not limited to, lecture, classroom discussion, demonstrations, experiential learning and practice.
The program begins with an orientation and introduction to basic job readiness skills, industry orientation, Worker Safety, FOODSAFE™, Serving it Right and industry awareness. Students progress from a general retail and hospitality careers introduction to a specific skill set focus in either the retail or hospitality industry. Classroom/lab learning components then alternate with three supervised workplace experience placements.
The first placement is two (2) weeks in duration, in either the retail or hospitality sector. Location of the work experience is at the discretion of the program faculty. The goal of this placement is to allow the student and instructor(s) to identify skill strengths and sector focus. Work Experiences 2 and 3 are each five (5) weeks in length and are in either the retail foods or hospitality sectors. The twelve (12) weeks of work experience placements allow students to benefit from a realistic and practical exposure to the workplace. Retail and Hospitality Careers Certificate faculty work closely with students to determine strengths and abilities when choosing work experience sites. Faculty also provide ongoing support to students during work experience placements.
Instruction is delivered for certification in FOODSAFE Level 1™, First Aid/CPR training, WHMIS and Serving It Right™.
Experiential learning and ongoing practice of skills occur throughout the program, on campus, in the teaching lab/classroom, during industry tours, as well as during the work experience placements in the retail and hospitality careers.
Students participate in two formal planning meetings and an exit interview with program faculty. The planning meetings assist students in identifying strengths, areas of improvement, areas requiring further improvement, and suggest strategies for success. The exit interview reviews students’ success, expectations, and outcomes. Students’ attendance at the planning meeting is mandatory, and students may choose to invite family, and/or support persons to participate in their meeting.
