Food Technology Tas Aide

**Position Purpose**

The Food Technology TAS Aide (Aide) supports TAS teachers in the organisation and smooth running of food technology classes, for 3 days per week.

**Organisation Environment**

Belmont Christian College is a leading co-educational P-12 school in the Newcastle region with over 900 students and 150 staff members. We are committed to providing a unique, spiritually nurturing environment that integrates strong academic and wellbeing foundations with Christian values. The Secondary School provides a range of Technological Applied Studies (TAS) including food technology and hospitality. This position plays a key role in supporting food technology and hospitality teachers with practical classes. This includes shopping, preparation and set-up for classes, monitoring/rotating stock, using a range of kitchen equipment and ensuring food safety and hygiene.

**Key Accountabilities**

Delivery of TAS Classes:

- Provide support to teachers in the delivery of TAS classes in Secondary School and occasionally Primary School.
- Support teaching staff with food technology activities including:

- Shopping/ordering food whilst being cost effective with choices,
- Setting up for practical cooking lessons with ingredients on trays/trolleys prior to class starting etc.
- Ensure levels of pantry stock/staples are maintained and rotated to minimise stock being out of date.
- Rotate stock in fridges/freezers ensuring use by dates are monitored and food quality is monitored e.g. avoid freezer burn of food.
- Support VET Hospitality classes including cafes and other functions. Supplies are ready and available for each class. Stock levels are understood and rotated regularly. Food stock/staples are not out of date.
- Food items stored in a hygienic and safe manner.

Equipment Use and Maintenance

Maintain kitchen areas ensuring that kitchen bays contain utensils and other needed equipment. Understand and operate a range of kitchen equipment including: Ovens, Commercial Combi oven, Coffee machines, Thermomix, Dishwasher including checking of detergent levels. Cooking bays contain required equipment e.g. utensils. Equipment ordered if needed. Maintenance issues are promptly reported.
- Storerooms and equipment are neatly organised.
- Identify maintenance that is required and report to the Curriculum Leader.

Food Safety and Hygiene
- Follow WHS requirements, including risk assessments, in the classroom.
- Assist with cleaning up after lessons. Ensure bays, including stove tops are kept hygienic. No cross-contamination.
- All surfaces, microwaves and sinks are cleaned down after each practical lesson.

Student Assistance

Occasionally assist students with learning needs or who require additional support during practical lessons.
- Ensure Teacher instruction is followed.
- Ensure Good student rapport.

Key Communications
- TAS Curriculum Leader
- Food Technology Teachers

Challenges
- Planning and organising is important given that students attend classes on a schedule and require facilities, equipment and stock to be ready and available on time.
- Ensuring current stock and deliveries given that stock has varying expiry dates and food safety is essential when storing and using ingredients.
- Time management is important given that there are multiple lessons throughout the day and each lesson needs to be planned for in consultation with the teachers.

Decision Making

The role can make decisions in relation to:

- Ordering/shopping ingredients and staples.
- Preparation as recipes and timetables are provided in advance.
- The role can make the following decisions in consultation with teachers
- Decisions relating to items that are out of stock or require alternatives.

The following decisions should be referred to the teachers or the Curriculum Leader:

- Decisions relating to equipment ordering and maintenance,
- Decisions relating to safety should be referred immediately to the Curriculum Leader.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience
- Hold a Safe Food Handling Certificate or equivalent
- Operate a range of kitchen equipment
- Driver’s License
- Current Working with Children Check
- Demonstrated skills in:

- Planning and organising
- Basic calculations involving measurements, quantities, weights, volumes etc relating to food technology
- Working with people
- Time management
- Following instructions and procedures

Selection Criteria
- Ability to learn how to operate a range of kitchen equipment
- Driver’s License
- Current Working With Children Check
- Demonstrated skills in:

- Planning and organising
- Basic calculations including measurement, quantities, weights, volumes etc relating to food technology
- Working with people
- Time management
- Following instructions and procedures