“We want people to understand that no matter what you’ve faced, you can find a great life in this industry,” says Korsmo. The Foundation’s work includes training 145,000 high school students at 1,750 schools through the ProStart program, awarding more than $1 million annually in scholarships and grants to deserving students pursuing careers in the industry. It provides competency-based training and jobs for people who are reentering society through the Restaurant Ready and HOPES programs. The Foundation also offers specialized training and career support to members of the United States military. With labor shortages still a major issue – the
restaurant industry remains 750,000 jobs below pre-pandemic levels – the association is increasing its efforts to lure people into restaurant careers. Recently, the National Restaurant Association launched the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC), which partners with restaurant operators to help them train and retain their employees through the association’s nationally accredited apprenticeship programs. RHLC currently offers three training programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor – line cook, kitchen manager and restaurant manager – with the goal of expanding in the future to address ongoing workforce needs. “Building a strong workforce has always been key to a great hospitality business,” Korsmo points out. “That will not change and we are here to help operators spread the message that people can find success in this business.”
16 FEDA News & Views
THE RESTAURANT & HOSPITALITY LEADERSHIP CENTER
PROVIDES THREE ACCREDITED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO HELP
RESTAURANTS TRAIN AND RETAIN
EMPLOYEES.
Doing its Part to Help Struggling Restaurants
Just as industry groups are looking for opportunities to enhance the recovery, some policymakers have proposed new laws and regulations that could dampen that return to normalcy. Take California Assembly Bill (AB) 257, which would establish the Fast Food Sector Council (council) within the Department of Industrial Relations to establish sector-wide minimum standards on wages, working hours and other working conditions for fast food restaurant workers. The California Restaurant Association says the bill would harm tens of thousands of counter service restaurants in the state, increase employee costs and introduce onerous new workplace rules – all at a time when many establishments are struggling to get back on their feet. “We should be helping this vital sector of our
state’s economy keep their doors open, not actively pursue measures that would kick them closed,” Condie said in a statement. In the long term, he warned AB 257 would attack restaurants that chose to be part of a franchise model. “The bill strips franchisees of autonomy and reduces them from independent business owners to corporate middle managers,” Condie continued, “seriously restricting new entrepreneurs who want to be in business for themselves and benefit from a brand that is already known to the public.” Environmental regulations are also on the CRA’s radar. Right now, the association is working to
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