I’m often asked about our students here at ACI. What ages, where from, reasons for attending, what backgrounds, etc. There are as many answers to those questions as there are individuals who are currently enrolled but I’ll try to generalize a little.
We have many young students joining us soon after high school. Surely in great part due to the many school districts offering Culinary Arts courses. Yay High Schools!
Our enrollment includes many folks who have found themselves transitioning from one career to another due to any number of reasons. Think of all the changes brought on by the pandemic.
Some students are here continuing their education; working towards nutrition, teaching, master’s programs, entrepreneurship, upper management, etc. Adding a culinary degree to an existing portfolio is valuable.
Also, ACI maintains a close relationship with The Veterans Administration so we have many students that are transitioning from their military service into other career directions.
Another important group of students I’ll just call “enthusiasts” simply want to learn to cook or to improve their existing kitchen skills but aren’t necessarily seeking employment in the hospitality industry. We love our enthusiasts!
This diversity comes together every six weeks here at ACI with the start of a new class. We love sharing in the always exciting journey to culinary prowess our students are beginning!