News Center : Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – November 15, 2021 – Starting today, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will celebrate the U.S. Department of Labor’s (USDOL) annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) by spotlighting multiple pathways for restaurant and hospitality workers, young adults and veterans to advance their careers.

As part of the NRAEF’s newly launched Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center, restaurant employers and workers nationwide can participate in the following accredited career development training and advancement programs:

Hospitality Sector Registered Apprenticeship (HSRA): Offers four tracks – Restaurant Manager, Lodging Manager, Line Cook and Hotel Cook. Upon completion of these competency-based programs, participants receive a certification and typically see a 14 percent increase in wages. The “earn-while-you learn” program has more than 2,500 restaurant workers enrolled and is currently offered in 40 states at more than 300 different restaurant and hotel locations.

Restaurant Youth Registered Apprenticeship (RYRA):  Connects high school students and young adults ages 17-24 living in CO, DE, LA, and MD, specifically enrolled in the NRAEF’s ProStart or Restaurant Ready career readiness programs, to the training and education needed to begin restaurant management or line cook career paths.

Restaurant Manager SkillBridge Program and Veteran Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity Reform Act (VALOR):  Supports transitioning military service members with direct entryways into restaurant management, and access to benefits including tax-free housing stipends and regular pay increases.