On Thursday, September 1st, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) joined fellow Apprenticeship Ambassadors at the White House for a special event highlighting efforts to expand, diversify, strengthen, and modernize the nation’s Registered Apprenticeship programs. Susan Crystal-Mansour, Ph.D., NRAEF’s vice president of program impact, represented the Foundation and its multi-year commitment to create apprenticeship opportunities for restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality professionals. The Foundation launched the industry’s first Restaurant Manager apprenticeship program in 2017 with support of the U.S. Department of Labor. Today, NRAEF operates the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC), which offers Line Cook, Kitchen Manager, and Restaurant Manager apprenticeships. These career advancement opportunities are available to young people entering the industry, current restaurant professionals, and transitioning military members.

In attendance on 9/1 were U.S. Secretary of Labor, Marty Walsh, Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, and First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden.