A recent survey commissioned by leading culinary arts school, Le Cordon Bleu London, has found that 52% of British residents dream of changing a hobby into a career.
• 41% of all GB workers are concerned they lack the necessary skill set to change careers. A further 31% feel they may be underqualified to change jobs.
• Half (52%) of people surveyed would like to turn their hobby into their career
• 52% said that finance would be the biggest barrier to changing career
• People in Wales (64%) and the East (63%) felt most strongly that they would need retraining in order to pursue their dream job
• 56% of Londoners who regret their career choice said they would consider a career change
It has been said that if you ‘choose a job you love, you will never work a day in your life’ and a recent survey commissioned by leading culinary arts school, Le Cordon Bleu London, has proven that this is exactly what a substantial number of people in the UK aspire to. Over 60% of respondents in the YouGov survey said that they long to change career, but are held back by financial concerns, fear of making a bad decision, or not being sufficiently qualified.
Chef Emil Minev, Culinary Arts Director at Le Cordon Bleu London commented;
“As an international culinary institution, we welcome thousands of students each year, many of whom are seeking
a complete change of career. Nowadays, people feel that real success can be achieved by following your dreams –
the Julia Child Scholarship aims to provide this opportunity and honours one of our most celebrated alumni, who
took the brave step of changing her career path in the 1940’s.”
The survey results come as Le Cordon Bleu London announce the launch of the Julia Child Scholarship by Le Cordon Bleu, together with renowned Chef Monica Galetti, offering one UK resident the opportunity to pursue their true passion. The prize, worth well in excess of £45,000 will provide the winner with a place on the coveted Le Cordon Bleu Grand Diplôme:registered:, an internship at Mere Restaurant under the guidance of Monica Galetti, as well as accommodation provided by luxury agency, Londonist. In addition to all of this, Le Cordon Bleu London have coordinated one-to-one mentorship sessions with a number of their most esteemed alumni including MasterChef The Professionals Quarter Finalist, Luciana Berry; Executive Chef at Renaissance St Pancras, Adam Ashe; Former Pastry Chef at The Fat Duck, Hideko Kawa; and Chef Patron of Bala Baya, Eran Tibi. In its entirety, this once in a lifetime prize aims to provide the successful candidate with a holistic view of the culinary / hospitality industry, to support them in their career change.
Monica Galetti, Patron Chef of Mere Restaurant commented;
"I feel very honoured that I have been asked to be Chef Partner for this year's Julia Child Scholarship by Le Cordon Bleu. The Scholarship offers fantastic support and opportunity for young and talented individuals in a tough industry, and I am very much looking forward to getting involved"
Anna Bonisoli Alquati, Head of Client Management and Marketing at Londonist said;
“We are very proud to be part of this influential scholarship project with Le Cordon Bleu. In fact, we share the same company values: quality, dedication and great competence. We thank Le Cordon Bleu for believing in us and we look forward to our collaboration.”
Bill Dawes, Area Manager at Reed Hospitality & Leisure added;
"At Reed Hospitality & Leisure, we often come across people who want to change their career path. We know this
is never easy, which is why we're delighted to support Le Cordon Bleu in offering one lucky individual the chance to pursue their dreams."
Applicants are invited to apply by completing the online application form at cordonbleu.edu/london/juliachildscholarship/
Applications will close at midnight on the 18th April. The Final will take place on 6th June 2018.
