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My name is James Waters, I'm a commis chef at the Lygon Arms
and I'm studying for my NVQ level 2 in professional cookery.
After leaving school I decided to carry on for sixth form to complete my A levels and I managed to get three A levels.
After that I decided to go to university.
After my first semester I decided that I wasn't learning enough practical knowledge,
so I decided to drop out and take a vocational route.
My mother was slightly disappointed when I told her that I was leaving my educational background for a vocational,
but I think that she's realised that it's my decision and I have taken the right route
and not just jumped into a kitchen; I am actually getting a vocational qualification.
John McGeehan, my main tutor, is a great man to work with, he teaches me a lot of things.
He's very hands on and very patient with me. He's a good person to have as a mentor.
Just his background knowledge of where dishes come from, the origins
and just general information is excellent to have to build up my own knowledge of food.
My course is a work-based learning programme. My NVQ assessor comes in once a month
and we go through a section within my NVQ folder to complete it.
Doing the apprenticeship and NVQ hasn't really affected my work.
My NVQ assessor is very flexible for when I am the most free to actually do the sections on my course.
There are quite a lot of benefits from doing a vocational rather than an academic course.
You actually get to see the product you're working with, not just read about it.
Promotion is obviously a prospect here and also, moving around different sections,
I'm always learning new ways of doing things in different areas of the kitchens.
My employers have been very committed to my training; they've invested a lot of time and money into us.
From a personal perspective I feel that my confidence has been greatly increased
and I aspire more to being a greater chef, from working on this course.