Sion Farrell

Sion is employed by the Army Catering Training Trust to deliver apprenticeship support to the chefs of the Army. He has supported approximately 5,000 learners in his tenure and has also developed a range of opportunities for further learning outside of the usual military education route.

I teach Army chefs throughout the UK and deployed around the world in a continuing professional development programme delivering civilian accredited qualifications in addition to their military apprenticeships.

I have been an Army chef for 27 years and I want to support those who are following in my footsteps. My motivation is seeing individuals achieve, especially those who initially lack the self-esteem to broaden their horizons.

As part of a team I teach a plethora of hospitality and customer service orientated qualifications, as well as delivering courses in training, quality assurance and assessment. I also established a link with a London college to enable military chefs to access a distance learning foundation degree course that subsequently evolved into a distance learning Bachelors degree programme.

My role is to support our chefs to maximise their potential within the Army, but also to meet their goals and support them as they transfer to the civilian community.

One learner said, “Without Sion’s guidance throughout my studies, I can honestly say I may have never completed my qualifications and be in the position I am now. Sion sets a shining example to all he comes across, his work ethic is to be admired, and he continues to support and better all those in our trade.”

James Wilson-White, Training Officer within the Armed Forces said, “Sion has devoted the past 10 years to ensure that the Army chefs, from the most junior private to the most senior Warrant Officer Class 1, are afforded every opportunity to improve themselves and gain self-esteem through the whole lifelong learning process.”