It is the last practice day for students in the culinary and waiter subjects at Etterstad upper secondary school in Oslo. Torbjørn Frisch Moe is in full swing with the other students to present a feast. He will have no problem finding an apprenticeship next year. Torbjørn is the only one who has applied for an apprenticeship in fresh produce trade in the whole of Oslo. – It’s nice for me, because then I get more opportunities, he says, while he happens to have a juicy piece of meat. Still, he is worried about the profession he will now enter. – The food industry is calling for people with education, says Torbjørn. Not enough apprentices The fresh food trade is a merger of the subject of shop butchers and seafood traders. This year, Meny has room for 100 apprentices. But on a national basis, only 56 people have applied for the subject. In the last five years, there have been at most 86 apprenticeships in shop butchers or seafood shops. In other words, it has been a long time since the industry met its needs. There are not enough people to do this work. Photo: Bård Nafstad / news Sad if the subject should be lost One who notices the lack of apprentices is fresh food manager Thord Kleiven Antonsen at Meny Tveita. Right now he only has one apprentice who deals with seafood. – I would like to have someone who runs meat as well, but it has not been possible. It has been several years with very low growth of apprentices, says Antonsen. 15 years ago, an internship in a shop gave meirsmak. Fresh food manager Thord Kleiven Antonsen is very fond of his profession. Photo: Bård Nafstad / news He himself is very fond of the subject, which he has been doing since he was 16 years old. Originally, he dreamed of becoming a chef, but after a placement in a company, there was no talk of doing anything else. Antonsen thinks some of the problem lies in the fact that people do not know what the profession is about. – It is a fantastically fun environment. We work with traditions, raw materials, sales and all the happy customers who are here. It’s sad that my subject might be gone in a few years. Provides a taste of the subject In Oslo, only Etterstad upper secondary school offers restaurant and food subjects. Rector Elin Stavrum believes that the lack of apprentices in the fresh food trade means that the subject is part of the restaurant and food subject, without people being aware of it. Students are simply not informed until they have applied for upper secondary school. – They are informed by us, and get a taste through internships, but it is not something they have thought of before, says the principal. The school collaborates with the business community to see where the need is, and how they can best inform the students. Photo: Bård Nafstad / news She thinks this subject is not alone in struggling, even if it turns out badly. – We have a challenge nationally to get students to choose vocational subjects, especially in restaurant and food subjects. I understand that the industry is concerned. Torbjørn, on the other hand, need not worry. While he serves pannacotta as the last dish of the practice dinner, he can look forward to new adventures out in the store this autumn. – Hope it tastes good, he smiles gently to the principal.
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Torbjørn Frisch Moe is the only one who has applied in Oslo – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
