Workforce Development
The hospitality industry offers great diversity in its career opportunities and growth potential. The PRLAEF is focused on providing information and access to training for the industry’s workforce so our workers can gain the skills they need to advance their careers.
Why invest in workforce education?
- Adding workforce education leads to an 8.6% increase in productivity
- Spending at least 5% of your budget on training leads to a 23% decrease in turnover
- Turnover costs $2,000 per front-of-house employee
Develop Leaders: Career Pathways for Success
ServSafe Suite of Products
ServSafe is the industry’s leading food safety certificate training. It’s also serving up new products to help you attract and retain talent. Train your team to safely serve alcohol or treat guests with food allergies, and ensure your work environment is safe for all employees. Whatever your training needs, ServSafe has you covered.
ServSuccess
ServSuccess is a career development platform designed to provide restaurant industry employees with job training that will advance their careers while providing them the skills to increase job performance.
PRLA members receive 20% off each registration.
RestaurantOwner.com
RestaurantOwner.com offers tools and trainings proven to help independent restaurant owners and their teams find lasting success. As a PRLA member, you gain special access to discounted RestaurantOwner.com plans. Find exactly what you need to support your restaurant with resources for finances, operations, leadership, staffing, and more!
Whether you just opened the restaurant of your dreams or you’re a long-time owner looking to grow, RestaurantOwner.com has the content, courses, and systems you need to run a thriving restaurant. PRLA members receive 15% off all monthly plans and 30% off all annual plans.
PRLA Hospitality Workforce Showcases
In 2024, PRLA hosted several showcases to help busy hospitality operators identify local resources, programs, and best practices for recruiting and developing talent, as well as connect with experts in the field. Review and access resources from the events.
AHLEI Products
Training offered by AHLEI can prepare your staff for professional, globally recognized credentials through the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Certifying your staff can help you increase retention, reduce the cost of turnover, increase guest satisfaction, and improve employee productivity and morale.
With more than 20 professional certifications for every department and step in the career path, you can use AHLEI training to create professional development plans for your entire team.
Coca-Cola Leader Lab
The Coca-Cola Leader Lab is an innovative crew solution designed to attract, engage, and develop the next generation of foodservice and on-premise leaders. Hosted on an easily accessible digital platform, engaging video content guides leaders through modules in a fast-paced, actionable format.
Questions?
Contact Andrea Trubiano, PRLA workforce development specialist, at atrubiano@prla.org if you have questions about ServSafe, ServSuccess or AHLEI training products.
Stay up-to-date with the latest industry news, trends, events, and more.
Restaurant Ready
Restaurant Ready is a national program dedicated to helping people acquire the basic job and life skills necessary to pursue jobs in the restaurant and hospitality industry, and jumpstart a pathway to independence.
PRLA and the PRLA Educational Foundation support several Restaurant Ready programs in Pennsylvania.
Restaurant Ready Programs in Pennsylvania
Café Momentum
Café Momentum is an award-winning restaurant and culinary training facility. Its mission is to transform young lives by equipping Pittsburgh’s justice-involved youth with life skills, education, and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential.
Learn More
FRESHstart Kitchen
FRESHstart Kitchen, a program of the Chester County Food Bank, educates and prepares under or unemployed residents for opportunities and sustainable employment in the foodservice industry.
Learn More
Crop & Kettle
Crop & Kettle, located in Beaver County, offers students a full farm-to-fork experience as they engage in a unique culinary curriculum that both imparts technical training and valuable life skills. The program’s vision is that each student will graduate equipped with the tools and expertise that their future career will demand, as well as the confidence to endure the challenges that life will invariably present.
Learn More
YES to the Future
YES to the Future is a program by the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit that helps young adults ages 16-24 improve through educational achievement and prepares them for success in the workplace through general training, as well as skills specific to the restaurant and hospitality industry.
Learn More
Community Kitchen Pittsburgh
Community Kitchen Pittsburgh offers training programs, transitional employment opportunities, apprenticeships, and job placement services that are designed to meet participants where they are and connect them with stable, higher-than-entry-level positions in culinary or adjacent industries that lead to wage progression and professional growth.
Learn More
Tec Centro
Tec Centro Berks (Berks Latino Workforce Corporation) works to move Latinos out of poverty by providing education, training, workforce development, economic development, a pathway for youth, and empowerment to create opportunities in the county.
Learn More
Get Involved
Organizations ready to get started with the program should complete the Restaurant Ready inquiry form and contact Hope Sterner, PRLA director of education, at hsterner@prla.org.
Apprenticeship Programs
Employers see an 80% retention rate among program participants.
Post-Secondary Education
ProStart Passport
The National ProStart Collegiate Passport includes information about post-secondary schools and programs that offer college credit or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement. The Passport is updated annually.
Temple University School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management (STHM)
Temple University School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) – The PRLA and PRLAEF are proud to partner with Temple University School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management to provide professional development opportunities for our members.
All PRLA-member employees admitted into the Master of Science in Hospitality Management or Master of Science in Travel and Tourism will receive a guaranteed $4,000 scholarship towards the program (in addition to a potential merit scholarship). The application fee will also be waived for members of PRLA.
High School Training
ProStart
Feeding Dreams. Building Futures. ProStart develops today’s high school students into tomorrow’s restaurant and hospitality leaders. This program is a two-year, industry-backed culinary arts and restaurant management course for high school students. Students finish the program ready to join the workforce and make an immediate impact in restaurants and foodservice.
Hospitality & Tourism Management
Prepare high school students for a successful and fulfilling career in hospitality using the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute’s hospitality and tourism curriculum. It aligns with national standards and highlights the skills hospitality leaders are looking for in their employees today.
Membership Has Benefits
Resources for Hospitality Businesses, Vendors, Sponsors, Students. Membership is for Everyone!
