The Bay Region Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism (RHT) Initiative “Learn & Earn” Grant at Skyline College has been leading a regional internship experience in partnership with corporate food service leader, Bon Appétit Management Company housed at Google. Students participating in this paid internship program have been assigned to work either at the cafés at the Google location in Mountain View or at the YouTube location in San Bruno. A total of 11 students located within the California Bay Region have secured a position as a hospitality or culinary arts intern. Out of the 11 internship positions granted, a total of 5 are students are currently studying at Skyline College. The remaining participants are students from Diablo Valley College and other local Bay Area training programs.
As part of their 8-week internship experience, students were required to attend a 3-Day Internship Boot Camp held on January 21-23, 2015. This Internship Boot Camp incorporates soft skills training and the potential to earn up to 3 industry recognized certifications to include on their resumes. The first day was led by Andrea Vizenor, Deputy Sector Navigator, by introducing leadership topics that would aid the students to excel throughout their internship. Topics included in the training were professionalism, effective communication, team building, ethics and leadership. This day also included the certification exam for “Certified Guest Service Professional” awarded through the American Hotel and Lodging Association. On the second day, The National Restaurant Association led two workshops relevant to food service and restaurant operations. The students had the opportunity take two certification exams issued from the National Restaurant Association: ServSafe California Food Handler Certification and ServSafe Responsible Alcohol Certification. The third day composed of a workplace tour and lunch at Google to familiarize the students with environment they would be working in the next 8 weeks.
The Bon Appétit @ Google internship offers the opportunity for students to gain valuable skills in the field of Hospitality through work-based learning. Students have the choice of choosing between a hospitality position focused on customer service and café administration duties and culinary arts positions focused on basic cooking techniques. In this partnership, Bon Appétit provides students the opportunity to experience the many diverse careers available within corporate food service by training them in multiple active cafés while introducing students to different elements in restaurant management, culinary operations or in a business environment.
This internship program is an exciting experience for students looking to pursue a career in Hospitality and Food Service careers. It is a great way for students to build their resumes while pursuing their educational goals. The Bon Appétit @ Google internship is currently available to community college students during the Fall and Spring semesters as an 8-week paid internship and available to Bay Region high school students during the summer.
For more information, please contact Andrea Vizenor at vizenora@smccd.edu
Article by Elizabeth Tablan | Photo by Mariah Hatfield
