A Durham resident who first joined our hospitality team aged just 16 is now a qualified chef helping cook around 900 meals per day.
Henry Oakes, now 21, joined the University as a part-time, front-of-house assistant at Hatfield College aged 16.
During this time, he started a business course at New College Durham, but after two years of study he realised that catering was his calling.
He switched courses and joined a Government-backed catering apprenticeship scheme that matches employers like our University with suitable apprentices.
The apprenticeship involved Henry working in the kitchens of our University College four days a week.
He also attended New College one day per week as he learned the necessary skills to become a production chef.
All his hard work paid off as this summer Henry qualified as a Level 2 Production Chef, certified by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.
Henry continues to work as a chef at University College where he helps serve around 300 student meals at each daily sitting of breakfast, lunch and tea-time.
He said he is happy to continue working at Durham and is interested in learning catering management skills to further progress his career.
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