our Apprenticeship Training programs

The origin of our Apprenticeship Programs started in 2013 when Valerie opened up  her home kitchen to other neurodiverse adult individuals in the community who wanted to learn to make chocolate. When the company moved into their Bricks and Mortar shop in 2016, the apprenticeship become a more formal program.. In 2017, the program began to include high school teens who were in the process of transitioning from the school environment to the working world. Later on, the age requirement was reduced to 14 years to include teens who were still in school. 

The focus of the training includes both the sweet culinary skills and job related skills. Emphasis is placed on developing business communication skills, on-the-job collaboration, organization, personal and professional hygiene and stress management. Additionally, since we are also a retail shop, we include training in the area of customer service

Track One is our Traditional format. Apprentices come for training one or two times per week for 3 hour shifts. The commitment is for 6 months though often the apprentice opts to stay longer

Track Two commenced in the summer of 2025. Apprentices attend training 5 days a week for 3 hour shifts for 8 weeks. This track is called our FIT (Focused Intensive Training) program. This is a great option for students who are more independent. and are interested in acquiring skills in a faster more focused and intensive format. 

If you are interested in receiving more information regarding our Apprenticeship Programs, please email valerie@thechocolatespectrum.com