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July 16, 2015 (VANCOUVER, BC) – St. John Ambulance - BC & Yukon announces the launch of two online food safety courses designed specifically for the hospitality industry: Food Safety BASICS.fst^® and Food Safety ADVANCED.fst^®.

 

As one of Canada’s leading first aid providers and safety training organizations, St. John Ambulance is pleased to offer courses that educate workers on how to prevent the transmission of foodborne illness, such as salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli), while allowing the flexibility of online learning.

 

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, about 4 million Canadians contract a foodborne illness annually – that’s roughly one in eight people. To prevent foodborne illness, all Canadian food service establishments are required to have at least one staff member with a FOODSAFE™ Level 1 certification or equivalent. Both Food Safety BASICS.fst^® and Food Safety ADVANCED.fst^® meet this requirement.

 

“Food service and handling of food is such a big part of the hospitality industry,” says Cindy Lund Chow, Chief Learning Officer with St. John Ambulance – BC & Yukon. “Canadians purchase approximately 1.7 meals each week so there’s a big responsibility for the industry to get it right – for every customer at every meal.”

 

In Food Safety BASICS.fst^®, students will learn how to hygienically clean, serve, and dispose of food items, making the course suitable for chefs, cooks, servers – as well as at-home cooks and foodies.

 

The Advanced version is a management-level food safety training program, and is ideal for owners, operators, supervisors, or managers of any food service establishment to better ensure that all food handlers work more safely.

 

The St. John Ambulance Food Safety courses are industry-recognized, can take as little as eight hours to complete, and are followed by a one-hour exam at a local St. John Ambulance branch, as required by BC health authorities. Course certification is valid for five years.

The launch of these courses is especially timely for summer, as more people are hosting BBQs and dinner parties, and thousands of students are looking for temporary work.

 

“The job of choice for many students looking to earn some extra cash over the summer holiday or pay their way through university lies in the hospitality industry,” adds Lund Chow. “If you’re looking for hospitality work, Food Safety BASICS.fst^® is a great accreditation to have on your resume– and it’s very affordable.”

 

Course fees are $90 for Food Safety BASICS.fst^® and $165 for Food Safety ADVANCED.fst^®. Registration is now open at bc.sjatraining.ca or by phone at 1-866-321-2651.

 

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St. John Ambulance is a charitable non-profit organization dedicated to helping Canadians improve their health, safety and quality of life through the provision of training and community service. As Canada's standard for excellence in first aid and CPR services since 1877, St. John Ambulance offers innovative programs and products to save lives at work, home, and play. With over 1200 volunteers contributing over 240,000 hours of unpaid community service a year in BC and Yukon, through programs such as emergency and medical first response, youth programs, and therapy dog services, St. John Ambulance is an integral part of the community. For more information or to contact your local branch, visit www.sja.ca.