Demand for cooks is strong and growing. A variety of intuitions employ cooks, including restaurants, hotels, schools and summer camps. Basic qualifications include a high school diploma. Cooks who wish to progress into chef positions or head cook positions sometimes earn degrees from specialized culinary schools and institutes. Additionally, the American Culinary Federation accredits numerous formal apprenticeship opportunities where prospective cooks can receive a mixture of instruction and on-the-job training in a supervised environment.