Everything You Need To Know About Cocahm Ghana

 

Brief History
Originally known as School of Domestic Science and Catering, the school changed its name to College of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management (COCAHM) to highlight its primary function as a training institution for culinary arts and hotel management. It was incorporated in 17th February 1984. As one of the first private culinary arts institutions in the country, COCAHM can boast of training some of the best chefs known in Ghana, and those who moved to US and Europe. It has, since its inception, served as a beacon of inspiration for many of the current catering schools in Ghana who in part owe their success to the school. The school is particularly proud of its significant contribution to the burgeoning hospitality industry taking root in Ghana.

What you produce
We have worked with industry specialists to develop cross-sector units and qualifications that meet the industry standards required to support the students to explore Food Production Technology (Cookery), Pastry Production Technology (Pastries), Beverage Production Technology (Beverages), Cake Production & Design (Sugar Craft) and Decorations & Events Management (Deco & Events). Our learners have an edge in the sector and are valued by employers. We are committed to playing our part in connecting the right people to the right jobs through our range of high-quality skills development and training programmes that are future-focused and industryrelevant.

Our capacity
We have the needed facility that can seat more than five hundred students at a go for theory and about two hundred seating capacity for practical classes.

Current Students Number
Currently we have a student population of one hundred for various classes.

Training Program
We basically train to deliver technical qualifications and provide both on-programme support and End-point assessment for apprenticeship/occupational stands in major areas such as Catering and Accommodation. Since inception, our portfolio of qualifications has been developed in conjunction with City and Guilds International and industry experts who have helped to shape students in their development, making them highly valued by employers throughout the nation. Our focus for the examination has therefore been that of CITY AND GUILDS Certification to enable the students acquire relevant industrial and global certification. Of late we are considering the local certification including those organised by the Technical Examination Unit and the TVET and to upgrade our facility to undertake first degree students in the Hospitality industry. Qualifications for entry are graduates from JHS and the SHS levels. The training involves intensive theory and elaborate practical assessments.

The aim of the curriculum is to train and certify personnel within the hospitality and tourism industries who are versed in the knowledge and skills to execute their work professionally.

Target market and size
Our Employability Skills qualifications are designed in collaboration with experts, training providers, and employment and recruitment professionals from the industry to ensure the qualification matches what is needed and valued by today’s employment market. These qualifications are aimed at anyone who wants to live a more independent life, progress in education, and/or improve their employment prospects; get into a job, develop on the job, or move onto the next job as they progress along the career ladder.

Our target market is to absorb the Junior High School leavers and the Senior High School graduates who have passion for vocational training. We also desire to make use of university graduates who have an interest in the hospitality industry and those who are already in the industry and want to advance their knowledge.

Financial constraint has been the major challenge facing the college. The college currently depends entirely on tuition fees paid by the students, making it difficult for schools to meet the growing demand for quality education. As a result, the school struggles to provide basic amenities like library with up-to-date textbooks, training equipment; attract quality teachers and promptly pay the other recurrent expenditures.

While we look forward to institutions and individuals funding assistance in the form of scholarships, sponsorships or even fund, GEA funding to the school will enable us to immediately overcome this financial obstacle, ensure a more sustainable and thriving future for the college and continue providing the high-quality education that future generations deserve.

Teaching and learning equipment is also identified as another challenge Our practical training depends on fully-functional and standard teaching and learning equipment such as cooking ranges, sinks, industrial refrigerators, fryers, ovens, microwave ovens, freezers, dish washers etc. However, insufficient, or continuous breakdown or malfunctioning of appliances or refrigeration units often result in interruption of learning.

Inadequate finance has been the biggest challenge in acquiring much needed equipment. It is envisaged that, when the funding is received, some of the required equipment could be acquired to replace the existing stock which will help the students prepare adequately for their external examination.

Low student intake
Despite our seating capacity, the major problem faced by the school is the low annual intake of students. One reason for this has been the general cost of education in the country. The cost of training has been on the rise in recent years, making it difficult for many students to access quality training. This problem is more prevalent in the country, with families struggling to pay for their children’s education as a result of poverty and location.

Also, there is a widespread feeling among chefs, restauranteurs, and trainers that the main barrier to cultivating the next generation of chefs is something deeply ingrained in our culture – a lack of respect for food and cooking. The chef profession looks unattractive in the eyes of young people because they feel kitchen jobs are often low paid; kitchen jobs are associated with servitude, and not held in high esteem socially and that kitchen jobs are not “a proper career”, but a means to an end, a stopgap. Hence, too often, young people end up in culinary careers for lack of “better” options.

Given such negatives associated with the profession, the importance of nurturing interest in food, and skill and enjoyment in the industry becomes paramount. In order to address skills shortages and cultivate local talent, the government and training institutions are making strenuous effort to inspire the youth in vocational training through the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) programme. Today more children are desirous to train as chefs. The funding will be a major boost to helping COCAHM admit more youth in its training programs as well as meet the school’s global training vision of improving hospitality business operations, development, ownership, and management.

Staffing
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages have been on the rise. This has adversely affected the student intake resulting in the fall in our revenue base affecting our ability to retain highly qualified staff. With the funding support, which is expected to increase the student intake, we could attract and maintain those with a higher academic qualifications as well as experienced professional visitors for mentorship.

Risks and Mitigation
Considering examples of brand and financially-damaging events in recent time, we have identified five broad risk categories namely business model risks, operating model risks, reputation risks, , enrollment supply risks, and compliance risks. The school is steadily investing in the people, systems, and capabilities to survive in the new normal of discomfort.

Business model risks challenge the school’s ability to generate adequate revenue and, in some cases, to even exist. Factors such as programme, finance, staff business location, environment and others indispensably impact the sustainability and relevance of COCAHM. Our business model is carefully considered in an environment where new approaches to education delivery, revenue generation, and enrollment are evolving rapidly.

CoCAHM in the search of mitigating business model risk uses two mixed approaches in its methodology. Career Pathways defined as “a combination of and high-quality training and other teaching and learning services and Coaching which is a programme that requires work experiences in academic and occupational education components. Programmes contain, holiday employment, and other employment opportunities available throughout the year such as mentorship programs and leadership activities from prominent industry players; internships, job shadowing and on-the-job training opportunities. Also hands-on experiences and group dynamics, teamwork and problem solving based on real-life situations are all part of our training activities.