BCC to Offer Food and Beverage Management Certificate

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced the addition of a Food and Beverage Management Certificate to its hospitality program. 
 
Available in fall 2021, the Food and Beverage Management Certificate is a one-year, 28-credit program that prepares students for entry-level positions in the food and beverage industry. The program is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the hospitality field, food and beverage operations, personnel, and supervision principles, as well as foundations of budgeting, accounting, and cost controls.  
 
The new program is designed for recent high school graduates seeking a vocational program that will allow them to enter the workforce after just one year of training, as well individuals working in the food and beverage field who want to increase their skills. According to a recent UMass study, 70 percent of hospitality employees in the Berkshires work in food and beverage, and the need for well-trained workers in the industry is expected to increase.  
 
In addition to completing standard coursework, students participate in an external cooperative learning experience in the food and beverage field that matches career interests and professional goals, providing invaluable real-world experience.  
With the addition of this certificate, BCC's Hospitality & Culinary Program will offer three career certification options: Food and Beverage Management, Lodging Management, and Culinary Arts Management. If desired, students can earn an associate degree in the newly consolidated Hospitality and Tourism concentration. 
 
For information on how to apply, visit www.berkshirecc.edu/admission-and-aid/

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Toy Library Installed at Onota Lake

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Feel free to use or leave a toy at Onota Lake's newest infrastructure meant to foster community and benefit kids.

Burbank Park now has a toy library thanks to Wahconah Regional High School senior Alexandra Bills. Located along the wall at the beach area, the green and blue structure features two shelves with sand toys that can be used to enhance children's visits.

The Parks Commission supported Bills' proposal in February as part of her National Honors Society individual service project and it was installed this month. Measuring about 4 feet wide and 5.8 feet tall, it was built by the student and her father with donated materials from a local lumber company.

Friends and family members provided toys to fill the library such as pails, shovels, Frisbees, and trucks.

"I wanted to create a toy library like the other examples in Berkshire County from the sled library to the book libraries," she told the commission in February.

"But I wanted to make it toys for Onota Lake because a lot of kids forget their toys or some kids can't afford toys."

Bills lives nearby and will check on the library weekly — if not daily — to ensure the operation is running smoothly.  A sign reading "Borrow-Play-Return" asks community members to clean up after themselves after using the toys.

It was built to accommodate children's heights and will be stored during the winter season.

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