23
Fall 2014 Issue
Safety & Workers’ Compensation
]
Students in the Ohio ProStart
®
program enter your operations understanding
front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house safety precautions
Hire Candidates that
Understand Restaurant Safety
In the state of Ohio, the restaurant and foodservice industry is
the third-largest private sector employer. This year, the industry
is expected to garner more than $17.8 billion in sales and to
employ more than 534,000 people. So, what does this mean for
restaurant operators seeking to expand their staff?
One of the largest pools restaurant operators consider for the
industry is the state’s youth. Operators will hire young employees
because they understand that they will work flexible hours and
are available in the evenings after they have completed their
school day. They are also often available in the summer when
tourism is at its peak and over holiday breaks when more
customers are clamoring for service.
Many of these individuals are good candidates for your
establishments. However, the Ohio Restaurant Association
Education Foundation (ORAEF) would be remiss if it failed to
remind restaurant operators about the many talented and skilled
young people currently enrolled in the Ohio ProStart
®
program.
High school students enrolled in the program throughout the state
participate in an industry-driven curriculum that educates, tests
and awards industry-recognized certificates to those students who
fulfill high standards in foodservice and restaurant education.
The ProStart program was developed to increase the quality and
employability of today’s high school restaurant management and
culinary arts graduates by providing them with training related to
important business and practical skills, as well as opportunities
for career exploration and higher education.
The two-year curriculum for eleventh and twelfth grade
students was developed by the National Restaurant Association
Educational Foundation (NRAEF). This state-driven and
industry-backed curriculum, coupled with relevant work-based
experience, enriches, enhances and reinforces what students
learn in the classroom and provides students with opportunities
to develop and practice skills critical to their future success.
These skill sets serve as a foundation for building professional,
trained and educated employees in your operations.
So what does this mean for you? This means that as a restaurant
operator in the state of Ohio who wants to strengthen her team
with qualified individuals, you should consider employing an
Ohio ProStart student. Currently, 57 schools throughout Ohio
work with the ORAEF to prepare students for an exciting and
rewarding career in the foodservice industry. These talented
young people not only care about the industry, but they arrive at
your restaurant with the basics under their belt and the desire
to learn more.
“These students are driven individuals who not only want to
succeed, but want to experience greater challenges than your
average employee,” said Sharon K.M. Fish, the ORAEF’s
Executive Director. “Not only do they possess hands-on
experiences from working in their school’s classrooms, but they
are sponges who want to learn all about the industry so that they
can provide tomorrow’s students with the opportunities they’re
receiving today.”
To learn more about the Ohio ProStart Program and to find out how you can get
involved or find qualified youth to strengthen your team, visit:
