The Department of Tourism calls on former Chef Training Programme graduates to update their details
The Department of Tourism invites all former participants who completed the Chef Training Programme under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) between 2010 and the present to update their contact and career information through the online registration form. This nationwide update will strengthen the Department’s beneficiary database, improve tracking of skills-development impact, and ensure graduates remain connected to future opportunities.
Launched as part of the EPWP, the Chef Training Programme has equipped hundreds of South Africans with culinary skills, workplace know‑how and a pathway into hospitality careers. Many graduates have gone on to work in restaurants, hotels, catering companies, and community food initiatives, while others used their training to start small businesses or pursue further education. Now the Department seeks to build a complete, up‑to‑date picture of where its beneficiaries are and how the programme has shaped lives and livelihoods.
Updating contact details is simple and voluntary. The online form does not automatically capture personal information such as names or email addresses; graduates must enter those details themselves. The information requested will be used only for official programme tracking, outcome monitoring, and communication about job openings, additional training, mentorship, and support services. By registering, graduates help paint an accurate picture of the programme’s outcomes: employment rates, further study, entrepreneurship, and geographic distribution of skills across provinces and communities.
Accurate data benefits both the Department and graduates. For the Department, improved records inform future policy and investment decisions, enabling more targeted support and better‑designed training programmes. For graduates, registration opens channels to announcements about industry partnerships, internships, refresher courses, and business support that can help advance careers or grow food enterprises. The consolidated database will also support monitoring of long‑term impact — showing how many beneficiaries remain in the tourism and hospitality sector, change careers, or benefit from follow‑on interventions.
The Department recognises graduates’ time and privacy. Information will be handled in line with relevant data‑protection policies, used solely for the stated goals, and not shared outside authorised initiatives without consent. Graduates who have participated at any point between 2010 and today are encouraged to take a few minutes to complete the form, regardless of their current employment status or location. Even those who no longer work in hospitality or who relocated internationally can contribute valuable data to the programme’s records.
This call is part of the Department’s broader commitment to strengthening tourism skills development and ensuring that publicly funded training delivers measurable, lasting benefits. By reconnecting with alumni of the Chef Training Programme, the Department aims to better support career progression, nurture local culinary talent, and boost inclusive economic opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Graduates can access the registration form via the Department of Tourism website or the link provided in the programme communications. If you attended the Chef Training Programme under the EPWP between 2010 and the present, please complete the online form today to update your details and help shape the future of tourism skills development in South Africa.