Washington, DC, Nov. 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today begins the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) third annual National Apprenticeship Week, offering workforce development leaders with the opportunity to highlight apprenticeship programs across the country. The week’s events include signing days, career fairs, conferences and more to demonstrate how apprenticeship offers pathways to advancement – but what exactly does it mean to be a hospitality apprentice?
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) have developed the nation’s first Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship (HSRA), an earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship program created for the nation’s restaurant, foodservice and lodging industries. NRAEF and AHLA are actively recruiting companies to participate in HSRA and have surpassed the DOL’s goal of 450 apprentices by year-end.
“This program is a shining example of how the government and the business community can work together to build a stronger workforce that meets the needs of American businesses and provides opportunities to the American worker,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association (NRA), and Katherine Lugar, president and CEO of AHLA, in a recent op-ed in Morning Consult. Both Sweeney and Lugar have been appointed to the DOL’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion.
NRA, NRAEF and AHLA will be participating in various events and activities around National Apprenticeship Week, including:
- Joining the “Celebrate Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning” luncheon on Thursday, November 9
- Presenting on apprenticeship during the Council of State Restaurant Associations’ U.S. Restaurant Government Affairs Conference on Thursday, November 9
- Attending the first Task Force Meeting, scheduled for Monday, November 13
Since June, 20 restaurant and hotel companies have committed to registering 484 apprentices. The DOL awarded the HSRA contract to NRAEF and AHLA last year, and have renewed the contract for year two.
To learn more about HSRA and how you can get involved, visit ChooseRestaurants.org/Apprenticeship. Click here to view the animated video on how the hospitality apprenticeship program works. Click here to find a National Apprenticeship Week event near you.
About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation: As the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s mission of service to the public is dedicated to enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower and Advance today’s and tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready – partnering with community based organizations to provide “opportunity youth” with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and, the Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship project – a partnership with the American Hotel & Lodging Association providing a hospitality apprenticeship program for the industry. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.
About the American Hotel & Lodging Association: Serving the hospitality industry for more than a century, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is the sole national association representing all segments of the 8 million jobs the U.S. lodging industry supports, including hotel owners, REITs, chains, franchisees, management companies, independent properties, bed and breakfasts, state hotel associations, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AHLA focuses on strategic advocacy, communications support, and educational resources for an industry that advances long-term career opportunities for employees, invests in local communities across the country and hosts more than one billion guests’ stays in American hotels every year. AHLA proudly represents a dynamic hotel industry of more than 54,000 properties that supports $1.1 trillion in U.S. sales and contributes nearly $170 billion to the U.S. economy. Learn more at www.AHLA.com.
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8ff1af6b-e102-460f-809c-72e02bd9a4ba
Attachments:
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3966692b-d239-42c7-9984-b2d749c22119