Microsoft Word 2007 ichrie conference Proceedings Final-Final 06-06-07. doc

FINDINGS 
The modal age range of the sample was the 30-35 year old cohort and the majority of the sample was 
employed either on a full time or contract basis (85%). The largest proportion of responses came from apprentices 
(20%) and head/executive chefs (22.5%). The remaining brigade positions were all grouped in one category – chef. 
While the overall gender distribution comprised 71.5% males to 28.5% females most females were in the ‘under 25’ 
age group (44%), and in the brigade category of apprentice (45%). In the senior positions of head/executive chef, 
females represented only 18% of the sample. When cross-tabulating the sample’s mean length of occupational 
experience in the trade with the number of career cookery jobs an annual turnover rate of 1.2 jobs/ year was 
calculated. This historical turnover rate was complemented by ‘intention to quit’, which was measured in two ways 
– for current job and for occupation. A four-point Likert scale categorised ‘1-3’ as ‘very unlikely’, ‘4-5’ ‘unlikely’, 
‘6-7’ ‘likely’, and ‘8-10’ ‘very likely’. The results showed that 38% of the sample was very unlikely to leave their 
current employment
‘in the near future’, 21% were unlikely, 12% was likely to leave and 29% indicated very likely. 

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