Washington, D.C. (May 17, 2018)—As part of the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AHLEF) and American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) visited the White House on May 10 to help present a landmark apprenticeship report, which was the culmination of a year-long initiative that began in June 2017.

Consisting of leaders in hospitality, education, manufacturing and construction, among other industries, the task force devised a strategy to create more apprenticeships in the United States through an Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship model.

“Apprenticeship programs can offer a direct path to upper management positions and lifelong career opportunity,” said Rosanna Maietta, AHLEF President. “More than 50 percent of hotel General Managers got their start in entry-level positions and many of our C-Suite executives and CEOs worked their way up the ladder of opportunity in the hotel industry. This new national apprenticeship model will benefit Americans of all ages and help bridge the jobs and skills gap prevalent nationwide.”

U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta appointed 20 representatives to contribute to the partnership from several hundred applications, representing an array of perspectives on American industry, business, education and trade. Shelly Weir, AHLEF Senior Vice President of Career Development, represented the lodging industry and its 25,000 members at the final meeting of the 20-member task force.

The hotel industry supports 8 million jobs and pays more than $74 billion in wages to its associates. AHLEF and AHLA also created a national program that provides current employees with new career advancement opportunities. The Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship program, offers competency-based learning curriculum including skills to be successful in the industry. In partnership with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, AHLA’s commitment to the Department of Labor includes enrolling some 2,250 apprentices in the hotel industry over the next five years, while immediately adding 225 apprentices by September. To date, AHLA has not just met, but has exceeded that goal by more than 175 percent, securing more than 400 commitments from its membership.

The Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion’s full report for the White House can be read at https://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship/docs/task-force-apprenticeship-expansion-report.pdf.