Summer job then culinary school or summer job and learn on-the-job ?

Hello. This summer I am thinking of taking a summer job as an apprentice chef to get experience and decide if I want to persume this career. I already have 2 weeks experience in a resturant I did a year ago but I mostly did prep work and didn't face the stereotypical 'rush-rush' scenario like most resturants are. I also at the minute am doing a catering course called ABC Level 1 in Hospitality & Catering which gives an inside into the industry and am currently enjoying my time doing the course and have been accepted to job the next level up in September.

What I am asking for is advice from Chefs and people in the industry for if I should get a summer job and perhaps learn on the job and if I want to carry on and see if I can choose to opt out of culinary and then carry on as an apprentice or if I should go to culinary school first then become a commis and work up ?

Thanks.

PS - the culinary school I intend on going to is free of charge because if I choose to do the course I will be under 19 and it will be full-time so I won't have to pay.

Hmm, thank you both for your responses.

RE: RSteve - Yes my parents will be able to support me and the college will by giving a student a sheet for them and parents to fill in if the student is struggling to cope with the finance and if I do get accepted for an interview and get hired I will work by butt off .. besides, if you don't you get the sack, right ?

RE: YoungBeck - While you told me the industry is a very hard and both mentally and physically tough job I am aware of that due to the fact I have just ordered that "Kitchen Confidential" book I have seen most Chefs on here recommending reading to get an understanding of what I will get myself into but thanks for pre-warning me anyways.

I admit I also am aware of the unsocialable hours etc but i'll admit (alot of admiting coming through) i'm not the most social of people, but if this career means I get to travel/work in foreign countries (i'd like to work in either Greece , France , Canada , USA , Italy and maybe other places like Australia or even Sweden.) then I guess being unsocial will pay off one day).

Thanks both RSteve & YoungBuck for your advice and wisdom, I think I shall try and get the summer job and if I feel I am learning more and will obviously get more experience from the job then I may write to my college and see if I can give up my position at college and perhaps I will get a full time job at this restaurant (this part time job is 37.5 hours and will give me £120 a week [I think that is about $240 a week to you Americans but my currency conversion isn't the best]).

Thanks again, and if I need advice I know I just got to post another thread.

Well i'm glad you hire people out of culinary school but is this an isolated case though ? Because I have heard that you shouldn't go because it doesn't accurately show what working as a Chef is, atleast that is what I heard and also gives a false sense of reality and based on what Marco Pierre White says you should only do day-realise course and learn on the job.

Thanks for the advice and saying it is one of the last few careers where many options are avaliable, even if I choose not to be a Chef it will be a bonus in that atleast i'll know how to cook good food for myself and guests.

Bring this topic to a close, I think I will try and get the summer job and if I do bonus, but if not I will wait until culinary school and learn from there and get a job afterwards or in between breaks from the course afterall, i've found a website where people are willing hire students in Hospitality & Catering but in other fields so if I choose to do another course in something else I may still get a job.

Thanks everyone for your advice and wisdom, i shall put it to good use and as always, if in need of help, turn to ChefTalk.