This class covers important food safety topics such as food handling, sanitation, diseases, and storage. It provides an interactive experience for students to gain hands-on knowledge of food safety and handling and is designed to help students pass the certification exam for Food Managers. The class meets Indiana Food Handler certification requirements.

• Ivy Tech offers this as a one-day class or in two, half-day sessions one week apart.
• Cost includes instruction, class materials, and certification exam for Food Managers. Ask us about funding available to individuals who qualify through WorkOne or Indiana's IMPACT job training services for SNAP recipients.
• Ivy Tech students who are pursuing an Ivy Tech degree or certificate can earn the certification by taking the course HOSP 101 Sanitation & Safety as part of their program's curriculum.

Register for classes on INRLA.org

Class & Exam Cost (updated June 2025):

• $150 for members of the Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association ($10 discount)
• $165 for non-members

Public concern about food safety has never been more significant. A ServSafe® certificate shows your understanding of food safety, particularly in a restaurant setting. This certificate is not required to work in food service, but it will make you a more qualified candidate, as Indiana law requires foodborne illness protection training of at least one food handler per establishment. Many restaurants and employers do expect their management staff to have a ServSafe® certificate, so earning this certification will help you advance in your career.

ServSafe® is a nationally recognized food safety program developed by the food service industry to help prevent potential foodborne illnesses. ServSafe® is the most universally recognized and accepted course by state, county, and municipal health authorities that require sanitation training for food service managers. The Food Manager Certification examination is one of only four exams that meet the new Indiana certification requirements. Ivy Tech offers ServSafe® training by certified instructors.

This workforce certification is available for free to qualifying students through the Next Level Jobs program. You are eligible to earn this free certification from Ivy Tech if you fulfill all of the following requirements:

• You are an Indiana resident, and
• You have a high school diploma or GED/High School Equivalency, and
• You have not previously received an associate degree or higher (bachelor's, master's, etc.) and
• You have not previously used Next Level Jobs/Workforce Ready Grant funding. 

Learn more about Next Level Jobs at Ivy Tech

Ivy Tech skills training classes do not earn you college credit on their own, but they may crosswalk into Ivy Tech's academic degree programs should you decide to pursue that route in the future. Speak with an advisor to learn more about getting credit for prior learning.