All front-line cheese retail staff and their managers should be up to speed when it comes to regulations, procedures and the paperwork involved with food safety compliance. 

This is a broad subject; but essential for anyone selling cheese, covering aspects of: food labelling, personal hygiene requirements, HACCP plans, cheese-related pathogens, the withdrawal or recall of products from the market, cross-contamination, as well as an understanding of the regulatory bodies that govern these areas. 

Every year, millions of consumers become sick due to foodborne related cases.  It is your responsibility as a cheesemonger to take the necessary steps to protect your customers’ health.  

And not just from an ethical standpoint, but also financially: the burden of extra costs, not only due to foodborne illnesses, but also with food waste can add up to millions of pounds, whilst having a counter full of well-looked-after cheese in tip-top condition will boost your reputation and result in loyal customers and motivated staff.

Choosing the Right Cheese Training Path

Why Study with the Academy of Cheese?

The Academy of Cheese has combined all the topics associated with food safety under their umbrella of Regulation and Good Practice, unravelling the bureaucracy often involved with this area and pinpointing best practices.  Studying with the Academy will set you on the path of a regulated and safe business, with empowered staff, proud of their counter.

Which Level Should I Study?

Level One Regulation and Good Practice

If you’re new to cheese study, or have just entered the profession, then this is your starting point.  You will consider basic hygiene measures, cross contamination causes and food safety labelling.  All essential areas that every staff member, from junior level up should be trained in.  This knowledge will be indispensable when passing on advice to your customers so they too can practice good cheese hygiene at home.

Level Two Regulation and Good Practice

Expanding on all the regulatory topics covered at Level One, this intermediate course offers great progression for Cheese Shop Managers and Senior Staff.  You will get to know the pathogens specifically found in cheese and on the cheese counter; as well as learning your legal responsibilities as a cheese monger in protecting your customers from foodborne illnesses through your HACCP plans. 

Please note, you are required to have successfully completed Academy of Cheese Level One prior to enrolling onto the Level Two course.

Nine Courses in One!

But it’s not just laws, health and hygiene you are taught when you choose to study Regulation and Good Practice with the Academy of Cheese. Both of the Level One and Two courses include another eight modules, giving you and your teams the full gamut of cheesemongering knowledge and skills – from the language needed to sell cheese effectively to the ability to assess cheeses and recognise complex flavours. 

academy of cheese Level one Associate

Associate Certification Self Study

Study from anywhere in the world at a time that suits you with the Academy’s eLearning platform.

How Do I Study Regulation and Good Practice and which option is best for me?

1. Self-Study e-Learning Program – Do It Yourself

This is your cheapest way to get Level One and Two certification, at just £149*.  You access all nine modules, including Regulation and Good Practice, via the Academy of Cheese eLearning portal, either on your laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone. There are supporting resources available for you to download and print. The content is easy to read, understand and follow, taking you on a learning journey through to the final exam.  Regular knowledge checks, which are like mini-quizzes, pop up regularly throughout your progression.

Benefits of this mode of study:

  • Start now – no need to wait
  • Independent learning – complete at your own pace
  • Can study at a time that suits you
  • Perfect for students in different time zones or who have a busy schedule.
  • Cheapest option
  • 12 months access to Academy Elearning Zone and Exam
  • Access to live tutorial support and opportunity to hook up with other Level One students via the quarterly Guided Study Sessions

The most important thing to me was that I was able to study at any time I wanted: I didn’t have to reschedule my work or other activities. Actually, I finished my course during a very long trip by bus!

J Zubchuck| Level One Alumni

2. Self-study with Charlie Turnbull

Another flexible alternative to above, where you study the same content in your own time, but have access to pre-recorded lessons, delivered by Charlie Turnbull – one of the founding Directors of the Academy of Cheese.

Benefits of this mode of study:

  • Start now – no need to wait
  • Independent learning
  • Can study at a time that suits you
  • Perfect students in different time zones or have a busy schedule.
  • Complete at your own pace. You can stop and pause the videos.
  • Visual support in the form of online tutorials.
  • 12 months access to Academy Elearning portal and Exam

3. In-Person Classroom with Academy Training Partner

A popular study choice if you are local to the Training Partner’s training space.  This is a great way to get hands-on with your learning, tap into the knowledge and expertise of the Training Partner, as well as networking and having fun with other delegates.  You will also get to taste cheese as part of a group, which is an invaluable way to calibrate your own palate.

Classroom courses are held at the discretion of the Training Partner.  Some run as mid-week one-day courses which is great if your weekends are too busy to allow staff absence, whilst others will run a weekend course. After your course, to complete the Level One or Two certification, you are given access to the Academy eLearning portal to finish your studies and take the exam in your own time.

Benefits of this mode of study:

  • Interaction and discussion with an expert Training Partner online.
  • Interaction and discussion with other delegates online.
  • Immersive experience.
  • Networking opportunities.
  • Cheese for tasting is included in the price.
  • Instant response to any questions you may have.
  • 12 months access to the Academy Elearning Zone and Exam.

I enjoyed meeting other delegates from the industry. I have a better understanding of people’s role in the cheese industry as I was not aware of the array of jobs one can take on.

L Hunt | Level One Alumni

4. Virtual Classrooms with an Academy Training Partner

If you don’t have a Training Partner nearby but would still like an interactive course with tuturiol support, then this is a study option worth considering. Delivered online, each Training Partner sets their own course length  – from one evening session to several, over the course of a couple of weeks.   The time of the sessions and language will depend on the time zone of the training partner, so do make sure to check this before booking.  

Once you have attended the virtual classes, you will be required to go away and complete the exam online to receive certification.

Benefits of this mode of study:

  • Interaction and discussion with expert Training Partner and other delegates online.
  • Networking opportunities.
  • Cheese can often be ordered via the TP to assist with the other modules eg. Tasting.
  • Instant response to any questions you may have.
  • 12 months access to the Academy Elearning Zone and Exam.

Really useful learning; with Patrick Mcguigan imparting his knowledge in a way that was easy to remember. Great course mates from around the world which gave the course an added dimension.

T Longhurst | Level One Alumni

Should I study Regulation & Good Practice at Level Three?

If you own or manage a cheese shop, or are at a senior level of operations, then the responsibility of your business’s compliance with industry standards will probably fall on your shoulders.  Studying Regulation and Good Practice at this level will give you a greater understanding and depth of knowledge across the critical areas and lead to a greater likelihood of compliance, staff satisfaction and customer safety.  

Acknowledging the magnitude of this topic, the Academy of Cheese has split what is a single module at Levels One and Two into three separate, comprehensive modules, getting into the meat and bones of each area. 

A detailed breakdown of the content of each of these modules can be found on our Level Three courses page.

academy-of-cheese-fellow

Level Three Course – Regulation and Good Practice 2 (Microbiological Criteria)

Gain detailed knowledge of the main food safety and hygiene regulations relating to cheesemaking, maturation and sale including microbiological criteria.

There is no requirement to study levels one and two

The great thing with these, as with all our Level Three modules, is if you’re not looking to take the whole Level Three Certification, you can pick and choose the courses that are important for you and your business.  What’s more, you don’t even need to have studied with the Academy beforehand. So, if Regulation and Good Practice is your remit, then this is an incredibly economic way to fast track your knowledge. 

Study around your business commitments

Regulation and Good Practice is a Self-study module, accessed via the Academy of Cheese eLearning portal, either on your laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone. The content is easy to read, understand and follow, taking you on a learning journey through to the final exam. 

Benefits of this mode of study:

  • Great value – only £75
  • Start now – no need to wait
  • Study at your own pace: whenever, wherever.
  • Cheapest way to access Academy courses.
  • 12 months access to eLearning Zone and Exam

A detailed breakdown of the content of each of these modules can be found on our Level Three courses page.