South Bay : 3 Graduate From Hospital’s Food Service Training Program

Daniel Freeman Hospital in Inglewood has turned its cafeteria into a training ground for food service employees and three trainees were sent into the work world Friday.

The new graduates were part of the hospital’s newly created food service internship program and spent 10 weeks learning about the restaurant industry. The chefs in training learned about nutrition, catering and food preparation through hands-on experience in the cafeteria. Now the hospital is helping them find jobs.

The internship program is joint effort by the St. Joseph’s Center, a shelter for the homeless, and the hospital’s nutritional department. It was created to help homeless and unskilled workers qualify for jobs and training is free.

“We have trained a number of homeless and low-income individuals who are armed with a desire for employment yet do not have the skills required by employers in the food industry,” said Harry Davis, director of nutritional services at the hospital.