Basic Hygiene Certificate

Casio1_2

Hi All,

I've recently been made unemployed and I am looking for work at the moment. Whilst searching on various websites, I've seen kitchen assistants/porter roles but they require a basic food hygiene certificate.

Was wondering if anyone had any information about the cert??

As I don't have a lot of money, I was wondering is it best to do the cert on-line or should I do it at a local adult education college/institution??

In terms of costs, how much will it set me back?? How long on average is the course?

My girlfriend had a bad experience with an online scam scheme for adult education courses, so I was wondering should I look out for a specific course provider/accreditation??

Any help would be much appreciated, Thanks.

Linda32

Hi,

I did the Basic Food Hygiene course, whilst being unemployed between October 2010 and March 2011. This was one of the courses offered free from the Job Centre at the time.

I am unemployed at the moment, (I had temporary work between March 2011 and October 2011). I was offered the course at the time as I was 'newly unemployed', their words not mine. I havn't been offered anything this time. That might be because there isn't anything to offer or that its not available.

Anyway, I studied with Learn Direct, very much above board whether you pay or not. Firstly I had to do a numeracy and literancy test which took a few weeks to complete. Mainly due to the fact that you can't attend all day everyday whilst on JC allowance. After this course they decided which of the two you are lacking in, mine was literacy so I then had to do a short course and exam to cover this. The exam isn't anything to worry about and since there isn't a job on offer and nothing to loose, these no pressure.
This took about another month I would say. I attendend for about 4 hours a week, no more.

Then I did the Basic Food Hygiene, this took maybe another 3 weeks with a multipule choice exam at the end.

I found the whole thing to be very enjoyable.

First port of call is to ask your advisor at the JC, they will know best whats available.

Best of luck.

creditcardhelp11

You can do the basic level 2 online in 4 hours cost £30.

elsien

Should cover these sorts of topics, they can be done in a day (or two half day sessions) and there's usually a multiple choice test at the end, any course that you pay for make sure it's a properly accredited one, the going rate for joining an open (as opposed to online) course in my area is £58 plus vat.

As the previous poster said, ask at the job centre to see if there's any free training or reduced rates going.

• Introduction to food safety

• The Law
• Food Safety Hazards
• Taking Temperatures
• Refrigeration, chilling & cold holding of foods
• Cooking hot holding and re-heating of foods
• Food handlers
• Principles of safe food storage
• Cleaning
• Food premises and equipment
• Assessment consisting of 30 multiple choice questions

kingfisherblue

Check to see if local colleges or community centres offer the course - they do in my area, but only a couple of times a year as it is such a short course. If you don't have any luck, your local environmental health officer (based at the council) will know of any local providers.

paddedjohn

A few years back i got a friend a place on a course run by our local council, call yours and ask.

snowqueen555

When I was unemployed and on jsa I got one for free, I am sure there are some learning centres that offer it for free for jsa people. For me I needed to take a literacy and maths course beforehand though!

saintjammyswine

It is not available to over 18s free of charge for being on JSA as it is not fundable by SFA (Skills Funding Agency). That said, there are various projects involving FE Colleges, JCP and ESF (European Social Fund) which will be announced in April (approx.). This will provde funds for FE Colleges to offer this type of course on these projects FOC for people through JCP referrals and that is how people have got their L2 Food Safety in the last couple of years FOC, just a break in funding for re-tendering. It is 1 day, legally employer doesnt have to have accredited, certified course but this is the easiest way for them to prove the employee has been trained which is the only legal requirement.

snowqueen555

true actually yes, i remember mine was using the european social fund ^

Horace

I have been unemployed since September 2011, I am also over 18. I did my basic food hygiene certificate at a centre that I was sent to by the jobcentre - it didn't cost me a bean. I had started (and finished) a two week course in hospitality as I wanted a more relevant qualification, however, the exam still hasn't been finalised so no exam as yet so I was advised to take the food hygiene exam which I did in the centre online.

saintjammyswine

The food hygeine course would be free because the centre used funding from the rest of the course to pay for it. It is only fundable on its own for people under 18.