In all areas of the state, ProStart programs teach the foundations of restaurant management and culinary arts to high school-level students. After 23 years of excellence, the ProStart events are only growing in popularity, catalyzing thousands of careers for the next generation of hospitality workers and reinforcing the industry with highly skilled candidates. This year, the MHF welcomes the expansion of the ProStart program with additional programs throughout the Upper Peninsula. This means more opportunity for the expansion of Michigan’s hospitality industry workforce across the state and across peninsulas.
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Hospitality Opportunities for People (re)Entering Society (HOPES) is at its core is another pipeline to creating new leaders in restaurant leadership. The HOPES Program thrives because of its partnership with the Michigan Department of Corrections and two excellent community partners: Peckham Rehabilitation Services serving Ingham, Clinton, Eaton and Genessee Counties, and Operation Able, a division of Spectrum Services serving the metro Detroit area. With the support of these key partnerships, this MHF program trains people from participating correctional facilities and provides them with the skills for job placement upon release. In Michigan, the HOPES program has generated ## new leaders and continues to expand as it hosts Accelerator Meetings for employers to learn more about getting involved.
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Right now, 134 students are participating in Restaurant Ready courses facilitated by eight community-based organizations. The Restaurant Ready program helps some of our at-risk Michiganders acquire the basic job and life skills necessary to pursue jobs in the restaurant industry and jumpstart a pathway to independence. The courses focus on six core skill sets: personal responsibility, communication, attitude, learning, customer service, and industry-specific skills. Restaurant Ready graduates also earn a ServSafe Food Handler Certificate. These graduates are trained and ready to put their learned skills to use in restaurants across the state.
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