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what is the best way to help my skills and knowledge grow in the culinary industry?
what should I do and what should I avoid.
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It depends on what you want to do in the culinary industry. There are many different aspects to food services, so a good starting point would be to learn as much as you can about the industry, how it works, and what kinds of jobs and career paths are available. Culinary is a service business so jobs consist mostly of front line (chefs, cooks, wait staff, hosts, etc.), management (day to day front line operations including managers and assistant managers), and business/professional roles (accountants, executives, administrators, etc.). Breaking it down into its two largest segments there's retail and institutional. The retail side is made up of independent and corporate (including franchise) businesses. The independent restaurants are usually family or small business owned and operate under their own brand names with one or a few establishments. Employment opportunities here are usually limited to front line positions but there are also support roles like purchasers, assistant managers, and managers. The corporate businesses can be large chain restaurants that range from quick service restaurants (fast food), casual dining, and in some instances higher end restaurants. Each of these serve different audiences and have different business models and therefore the hiring qualifications, personal presence, and pay rates increase with each one, e.g. a cashier at McDonalds is a much different role than a senior wait staff job at Capital Grille. These companies offer many more employment opportunities and more well-defined career paths, salary packages, benefits, etc.
The institutional side of culinary work is often overlooked. This sector involves dining as a service add on to an existing business. Some examples include meal services on airplanes, in hospitals, in large corporate buildings, schools and universities, sporting venues, etc. These institutions often have their own departments set up to manage food and dining services that can range from grab and go stations, to full-service cafeterias, to high end client dining. The department is usually a relatively small staff that manages the actual services through a contracted company. These contracted companies can be small, but there are a few very large corporations that provide these services: Sodexo, Compass Group, and Aramark. There are a full range of front end and administrative/corporate jobs available in these businesses.
For educational opportunities, nothing beats hands on experience so working in the business in a part time job or internship is a great start while you're in school. Having a starter role, being helpful, and being curious can help you learn a lot about the basics of the business. For more advanced academics, there are certificate programs in food services, but there are also associates and baccalaureate degrees available at many colleges and universities including high-end programs like the one at Cornell. To learn about the business and jobs available visit corporate careers sites for retail companies (McDonalds, Subway, Chipotle, etc.) or corporate parent companies like Darden Restaurants. For institutional careers check out the Sodexo, Compass, or Aramark career pages. Also check out hiring sites like Indeed and research jobs and job titles. If you read the job requirements you will learn what you need to bring to the table to get hired. Lastly, the US Department of Labor has an Occupational Outlook page that offers insights into career paths based on different industries.
Good luck in your efforts.
The institutional side of culinary work is often overlooked. This sector involves dining as a service add on to an existing business. Some examples include meal services on airplanes, in hospitals, in large corporate buildings, schools and universities, sporting venues, etc. These institutions often have their own departments set up to manage food and dining services that can range from grab and go stations, to full-service cafeterias, to high end client dining. The department is usually a relatively small staff that manages the actual services through a contracted company. These contracted companies can be small, but there are a few very large corporations that provide these services: Sodexo, Compass Group, and Aramark. There are a full range of front end and administrative/corporate jobs available in these businesses.
For educational opportunities, nothing beats hands on experience so working in the business in a part time job or internship is a great start while you're in school. Having a starter role, being helpful, and being curious can help you learn a lot about the basics of the business. For more advanced academics, there are certificate programs in food services, but there are also associates and baccalaureate degrees available at many colleges and universities including high-end programs like the one at Cornell. To learn about the business and jobs available visit corporate careers sites for retail companies (McDonalds, Subway, Chipotle, etc.) or corporate parent companies like Darden Restaurants. For institutional careers check out the Sodexo, Compass, or Aramark career pages. Also check out hiring sites like Indeed and research jobs and job titles. If you read the job requirements you will learn what you need to bring to the table to get hired. Lastly, the US Department of Labor has an Occupational Outlook page that offers insights into career paths based on different industries.
Good luck in your efforts.