CHESTER and MIDLOTHIAN, Va. – To help meet a growing need in the community, John Tyler Community College is launching a new dietary manager program that will help students earn certifications needed to work in a number of health-care settings. This career studies certificate program, approved by the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals (ANFP), can be completed in less than a year and is designed to train students for entry-level careers as foodservice and dietary managers at hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other health-care operations. It also prepares students for the ANFP Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) and Certified Food Protection Professional credentialing exam.
Certified dietary managers are responsible for monitoring foodservice operations and ensuring nutritional, food safety and other standards are met. To be in compliance with regulations issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, facilities that do not employee a full-time registered dietitian must have a director of food and nutrition services who is a certified dietary manager. Those who are already employed in this role have until November 2021 to earn their CDM credential.
“Certified dietary managers play a crucial role in health care,” says Dr. Paula Inserra, professor of allied health at Tyler. “Earning the CDM credential will fast-track a student’s career in health-care food service operations and build upon the skills of those already employed in the field."
Students interested in pursuing Tyler’s dietary manager career studies certificate can register now for fall classes. To learn more about Tyler’s dietary manager program, contact Dr. Inserra at pinserra@jtcc.edu or 804-706-5113.
The dietary manager program is a new addition to the majors Tyler offers in health sciences. The college’s nearly 80 majors also include programs in advanced manufacturing, architecture, construction, and skilled trades; arts and communication; business management, finance, hospitality management, and marketing; education; engineering, computer science, and natural science; government, human services, law, and public safety; and information technology. To learn more about Tyler’s majors, visit http://www.jtcc.edu/majors, and to see a full list of fall classes, go to http://www.jtcc.edu/schedule. Those interested in enrolling at Tyler may apply to the college by visiting http://www.jtcc.edu and clicking on “Apply Now.”
John Tyler Community College offers more than 75 majors that provide pathways to careers in high-demand fields; transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities; and industry credentials and licensures. The college, with campuses in Chester and Midlothian, online classes, and off-campus classrooms, served more than 14,000 students during the 2018-19 academic year. It also assisted more than 7,000 learners through its workforce development division, Community College Workforce Alliance, a partnership between Tyler and Reynolds community colleges.