USA | National Apprenticeship Day has been a chance for young chefs to grow their careers and develop their skills within the industry.
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation has celebrated National Apprenticeship Day alongside the U.S. Department of Labor, highlighting the critical role of apprenticeship in fostering career growth and skill development within the restaurant industry. This day underscores the importance of apprenticeship as a powerful tool for restaurant operators to build teams that last and contribute to a successful industry workforce.
With 15.7 million Americans currently working in the industry, restaurants are America's second-largest private sector employer and a place that uniquely fosters alternative career pathways, often without a college degree. In fact, nine in 10 managers and eight in 10 restaurant owners indicate they started their professional journeys at the entry level before working their way upward. Apprenticeship maximises this environment by integrating the hands-on learning of a dining or foodservice establishment with formal benchmarks and industry-training standards that set individuals up for advancement and success in larger roles, including management and beyond.
"The restaurant industry has nearly limitless pathways to growth. Through apprenticeship, we're equipping employers to train and retain their employees, but we're also ensuring that the people who call our industry home have the opportunity to grow and advance," said Rob Gifford, president of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
"We are proud to join the U.S. Department of Labor in celebrating the role of apprenticeship in strengthening our industry and the entire American workforce."
The Foundation's apprenticeship initiatives are the result of a multi-year partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor that began in 2016 to expand apprenticeship opportunities in the restaurant and hospitality industry. In 2023, the Foundation was awarded a five-year USD 12.2 million Registered Apprenticeship Industry Intermediaries contract by the U.S. Department of Labor and designated as an inaugural Apprenticeship Ambassador.
To-date, the Foundation has partnered with over 165 employers through the programs in its Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Centre. The Foundation works with these employers to build customised training programs that uniquely empower their employees with skills, understanding, and credentials that foster careers. Nearly 2,000 people have graduated from one of these programs across restaurant manager, assistant restaurant manager, kitchen manager, assistant kitchen manager, and line cook career tracks.
More news here.
