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After owning and operating a seasonal business for seven years, I decided I had to find something more consistent, yet compensated well.
Having experience in the hospitality field for 17 years prior, I decided to return to something that I knew, something that could be challenging. I wanted to have autonomy and to be held to a high standard.
I was in the first group of the new MTP (Manager Training Program) for Denver Public School Food and Nutrition Services Department.
I started my first week with 20 hours classroom training on food service policy, practices and information. It was all foreign to me but I tried to absorb it all. I had to learn about free and reduced application processing, what a reimbursable meal was and so much more. I also attended 20 hours computer lab training and took an intense test to measure my skills in computer basics, Windows basics, e-mail basics, Day in the Life of a Manager, inventory, ordering, cashiering and reports.
The Manager Training Program gave me the tools I needed to perform in this fast paced, diverse environment.
After classroom training, I began six weeks shadowing a manager trainer at Hill Middle School. This experience helped me become acquainted with high volume management and food production. I also had the opportunity to become acquainted with students. Upon completion, I was assigned to Martin Luther King Middle School as an interim manager. That in itself brought more challenges, including dealing with people. I have staff to supervise, principals to work with and students/parent customers to satisfy.
I am now the manager at Montbello High School. My future plan is to stick around and take Leo Lesh, Executive Director’s job someday.
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