ENID — Today’s society is a fast-paced one and more and more people are choosing the convenience of restaurants over cooking at home.

As dining out’s popularity keeps increasing, the demand for workers in the food industry is increasing respectively.

That’s where Enid’s Autry Technology Center comes in.

“The food industry has just exploded in the last five years,” said Autry culinary arts instructor, Melody Hunter. “That’s the way the culture is going, less cooking at home.”

Those interested in finding a job in the food industry or those who just want to sharpen their cooking skills can take advantage of Autry Tech’s culinary arts program.

“We have the culinary arts program and we also offer culinary classes in the evenings which are more for community interest,” said Molly Helm, director of communications and marketing.

Students interested in going through the culinary arts program at the school can choose to attend classes full days or half days.

“It’s a two-year program,” said Hunter. “The first year is usually just getting acclimated to the kitchen and the utensils and the ingredients. The second year is management and various career opportunities.”

A very important part of any area of the food industry is food safety and Autry also takes that seriously.

The students can get their ServSafe national certification through Autry, a certification highly valued in any food career choice.

Students learn safe food handling “from the time it comes in the door until it goes down the line to somebody’s plate,” said Hunter. “It’s called the flow of food.”

Students who go through Autry Tech’s culinary arts program can choose to go into the field right away or continue their studies by enrolling in a culinary school at a college or university.

“A student who goes through this course and chooses to go on to a culinary school is head and shoulders above the other students at the school,” said Hunter.

Students in the culinary program at Autry Tech also have the chance to enter competitions and win scholarships.

“Not only do they get the national (ServSafe) certification and hands-on experience but they can go to these contests and use their skills and get these scholarships to further their training,” said Helm.

Even those students who do not go on to further culinary studies or even get a job in the field can improve their lives by going through the culinary program at Autry.

“This is a skill they will use daily for the rest of their lives,” said Helm. “If you know the basics of cooking you’re probably going to eat healthier.”

Even the customer service aspect of learning culinary skills can be beneficial to any job choice.

“The hospitality industry has so many avenues and it’s worldwide,” said Hunter. “There is nowhere that a student that has all of this knowledge could go where they couldn’t find a job. Even if you crossover into a different industry, those customer service skills and those people skills will help you be prepared.”

With the skills learned in Autry Tech’s culinary arts program someone could become an assistant food manager, a baker’s assistant, a restaurant cook, a caterer and there are even management opportunities.

“It prepares them for any kitchen job,” said Helm.

“They get the basic knowledge from our class and they’re ready to be shaped into their employer’s specialty,” said Hunter.

Students who want to continue their studies and sharpen their skills have endless job opportunities in the field including food critic, food stylist, food salesperson and food photographer.

“They don’t really understand how many opportunities there are until they get into the program,’ said Hunter.

The food industry isn’t limited to restaurants and cruise ships. The food industry also is a big part of hotels, nursing homes, hospitals and schools.

The ever-growing nutrition industry can’t be left out of the equation either.

“As we face this obesity problem in the United States, there are so many jobs available (in nutrition),” said Helm.

So, anyone who is curious about what clamshells, tilt skillets and convection ovens are should consider enrolling in a culinary program.

“It is high-tech kitchen gear,” said Hunter. “It’s just one of the many benefits of culinary arts here.”