I am often asked by my students and a number of career changers: “Should I go to culinary school? Do advanced degrees, like a BPS (Bachelor in Professional Studies) degree in culinary or pastry, really make a difference in my job prospects in the food industry?”

HERE ARE FIVE Reasons NOT to Enroll in a BPS Program

• It’s a waste of time: I already know everything.
• I already have a degree (though not in a hospitality-related field).
• It costs too much to get a BPS degree.
• I’ve been offered exactly the kind of job I would hope to get without having a BPS degree.
• A BPS from a culinary school is not as prestigious as a BA or BS from a “real” college or university.

AND FIVE (or More) Reasons to Continue My Education

Let me begin by saying that only one person knows everything and that person is your mother.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman recently wrote:

“Today there is no such thing as a high-wage, middle-skill job.

Now, high-wages are paid only to those with high-skills and higher education.

Every middle-class job today is being rendered obsolete or replaced faster than ever. That is, it either requires greater technological skill or can be done by more people around the world or is being made obsolete faster than ever. Technology has replaced many jobs that will never come back.”

Have you ever seen how fast a robot can chop an onion or make sushi?

So, let me offer my observations to your continuing your education concerns:

• Yes you have gained experience but on a balance sheet, a tangible degree counts for more than experience even if you have worked for one of the Masters of the Culinary Universe.

• You say you already have a degree from another school. Great. Only 30% of the population has one degree: having two degrees makes you more marketable. The more skills, knowledge and experience you bring to the table, the more attractive you will be to a prospective employer.

•  You say a BPS degree costs too much. How much is too much? If you invest in the stock market, there may be a crash. If you invest in real estate, a hurricane can destroy your investment. If you invest in yourself, you keep the power in your own hands.
• A BPS degree will almost certainly guarantee you a higher entry-level salary. Over your working life, you will earn, on average, between four and five times more money as an employee without a graduate degree. However: It’s not just what you have learned but what you can do with your knowledge.
• IF you agree with the idea that knowledge is power, you may agree that the more knowledge you have, the greater will be your opportunities for success.

If you were your own best friend, (which I hope you are), would you advise you to make the decision to shut the door to your future?

A culinary student recently asked me to look at a cover letter he was about to send for an extern job he wanted more than anything in the world.

Before he showed me the letter, he spoke of his grandfather’s small farm. He described the excitement of getting outside after the long winter and planting new seeds. He described how he felt the earth between his fingers. His face glowed as he spoke of the first green shoots peeking through the soil, the flowering of the fruit trees, the gathering of vegetables, cooking dinner using the foods he had grown and picked.

He beamed.

He asked me to look at the cover letter he had written to the owner of a famous farm-to-table restaurant.

He had addressed the letter: “To Whom It May Concern”. (This is a term usually reserved for the lost luggage department of an airline.)

The letter was beautifully composed.

Textbook perfect.

Boring!

I despaired and hesitated…a little longer.

And hesitated more.

“May I suggest?” I finally suggested to him…”that you tear this up and write a new letter using exactly the same words you have just spoken.”

He had the courage to try this approach.

Less than a week later, he got the job! I don’t know whether he or I was the happier!

There are surely few more satisfying “roles” in the world than being a food jobs mentor. This can be a formal or informal role.

In a formal capacity, a mentor is part of a team of advisers who works within the framework of Career Services, and Alumni Affairs. Some folk set up their own businesses as advisers for career changers and career advancement.

The role of mentor involves a serious commitment to listening… and hearing… and understanding the words that are spoken are not necessarily a reflection of what a seeker is seeking.

A mentor draws on past experience and up to date information to make connections between present practical realities and future ambitions and goals.

The mentor can smooth a path by making suggestions about a career path that may not have been previously considered or even known to exist.

She must also be willing to review cover letters and resumes, make introductions and stay in contact with a “client” over the long haul.

Her task is to encourage, support and guide — and back off or help change tactics if her approach to problem solving is not achieving the desired objective.

Dr. Holly Humphrey, dean for medical education at The University of Chicago Pritzker Medical School defines, “Memes,” (mentors) as:

“the cultural analogues to genes, serving as a basis for explaining the spread of idea, values, and beliefs from one generation to the next. In serving as a mentor, one has the privilege of sharing knowledge, expertise, insight and experience in a similar fashion, which can ultimately affect generations far beyond the most immediate recipient.”