The Maryland Restaurant Association's Restaurant Manager Apprenticeship Program includes paid on-the-job training.
Young people aspiring to take on management roles in the restaurant and hospitality industry can get the training they need for free and get paid in the process.
The Maryland Restaurant Association is using funds from a series of grants to fund its Restaurant Manager Apprentice Program, a two-year program that includes on-the-job training and coursework that will qualify apprentices to work in management roles once they complete the program.
Participation is free for restaurants that agree to serve as training sites, and the Maryland Restaurant Association expects more than 100 restaurants to apply to participate.
“Restaurants gain from dedicated employees who are interested in working in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and management positions are some of the most sought-after positions, but also some of the hardest to fill,” said Marshall Weston, president and CEO of the Maryland Restaurant Association.
Apprentices who apply and are selected are paid a starting wage of $17 per hour. Upon successful completion of the two-year program, they are guaranteed a wage of $25 per hour. The program allows students to begin training as early as high school students with parental permission.
The training is also “competency-based,” meaning trainees must demonstrate an understanding of what it takes to run a restaurant, “such as how to run a cash register, communicate with customers, handle complaints, schedule employees, communicate with employees, team building,” Weston said.
There is a probationary period when your apprenticeship begins. Work hours are 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. Coursework requirements are a minimum of 144 hours per year.
While the majority of Americans have worked in a bar or restaurant at some point in their lives, most of them did so early in their careers and not necessarily with the intention of making it a career, and the program aims to remove that barrier.
“We're trying to set out a clear pathway for young people to have a career in restaurants and hospitality, but sometimes it's not entirely clear how to get there, so it's a gradual process,” Weston said.
Enrollment in a formal higher education class is not required. The classroom is the restaurant. All instruction is online. “This was intentional for us because we understand that in the restaurant industry, there needs to be flexibility in hours, and there needs to be flexibility in everyone's daily lives,” he said.
Restaurateurs and jobseekers interested in the apprenticeship program can apply online now, with the first apprentices expected to enroll by June 30th.
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