Support State Funding for ProStart and HTMP
Position: Hospitality Minnesota supports continued state funding to grow well-established, proven and successful education and workforce training programs that help young people advance careers in the hospitality industry and address workforce shortages.
Background: The hospitality industry is facing a multi-year recovery from the current economic crisis. The ProStart® and Hospitality Tourism Management Program (HTMP) are two successful initiatives already in place that can help create the future of the industry by training and developing talented youth to work effectively in the industry. Both programs are managed by Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2021 Legislative Approval of Grant. In the 2021 Special Session lawmakers enacted legislation to provide $250,000 in state grant funds to support schools offering or interested in adding the ProStart and Hospitality Tourism Management Programs. Minnesota high schools may now apply for grant support to purchase curriculum by contacting the Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation. This investment will aid in the goal of helping thousands of students to enter the workforce trained and ready to succeed in the hospitality industry. This is the first such public investment in Minnesota and Hospitality Minnesota supports continued funding in the future to continue to grow these critical workforce programs and others.
ProStart® is currently offered in over 87 Minnesota schools engaging more than 5,500 students with over 750 already working in the industry. Minnesota has 19 schools teaching HTMP with about 350 students. These programs are highly successful and additional schools are seeking to add these programs, however, costs for curriculum and teacher training for new entrants, as well as current participants that need to update their curriculum, are a financial challenge.
Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation and other industry business partners provide grants, scholarships and other funding to help students participate in ProStart® and HTMP and to pursue post-secondary education. Since 2008, Hospitality Minnesota Education Fund has awarded over $832,000 in scholarships, to 345 post-secondary students, however, additional financial support is needed to meet the demand of new school participants, as well as ongoing participants in need of teacher training and curriculum upgrades.
ProStart® ProStart® is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders. ProStart teaches not only culinary skills, but also the business aspects of the foodservice industry. The program connects students with industry leaders, provides opportunities for scholarships and perhaps most importantly, prepares young people for careers as restaurant owners, managers, chefs and other positions.
Hospitality & Tourism Management Program HTMP introduces high school students to the lodging industry through classroom learning, real-work experiences and field trips. The curriculum, developed by the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute, covers front office and housekeeping management, marketing and sales, food and beverage, as well as general management and leadership skills.
Hospitality Workforce Facts and Data:
There is tremendous opportunity for young people starting out in hospitality and educators, policymakers and industry should work together to give those with a passion for hospitality the tools they need to successfully pursue a dynamic career journey. Continuing to fund the growth of successful high school work force programs like ProStart and the Hospitality Tourism Management Program should be a policy goal for the State.
Background: The hospitality industry is facing a multi-year recovery from the current economic crisis. The ProStart® and Hospitality Tourism Management Program (HTMP) are two successful initiatives already in place that can help create the future of the industry by training and developing talented youth to work effectively in the industry. Both programs are managed by Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2021 Legislative Approval of Grant. In the 2021 Special Session lawmakers enacted legislation to provide $250,000 in state grant funds to support schools offering or interested in adding the ProStart and Hospitality Tourism Management Programs. Minnesota high schools may now apply for grant support to purchase curriculum by contacting the Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation. This investment will aid in the goal of helping thousands of students to enter the workforce trained and ready to succeed in the hospitality industry. This is the first such public investment in Minnesota and Hospitality Minnesota supports continued funding in the future to continue to grow these critical workforce programs and others.
ProStart® is currently offered in over 87 Minnesota schools engaging more than 5,500 students with over 750 already working in the industry. Minnesota has 19 schools teaching HTMP with about 350 students. These programs are highly successful and additional schools are seeking to add these programs, however, costs for curriculum and teacher training for new entrants, as well as current participants that need to update their curriculum, are a financial challenge.
Hospitality Minnesota Education Foundation and other industry business partners provide grants, scholarships and other funding to help students participate in ProStart® and HTMP and to pursue post-secondary education. Since 2008, Hospitality Minnesota Education Fund has awarded over $832,000 in scholarships, to 345 post-secondary students, however, additional financial support is needed to meet the demand of new school participants, as well as ongoing participants in need of teacher training and curriculum upgrades.
ProStart® ProStart® is a nationwide, two-year high school program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders. ProStart teaches not only culinary skills, but also the business aspects of the foodservice industry. The program connects students with industry leaders, provides opportunities for scholarships and perhaps most importantly, prepares young people for careers as restaurant owners, managers, chefs and other positions.
Hospitality & Tourism Management Program HTMP introduces high school students to the lodging industry through classroom learning, real-work experiences and field trips. The curriculum, developed by the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute, covers front office and housekeeping management, marketing and sales, food and beverage, as well as general management and leadership skills.
Hospitality Workforce Facts and Data:
- Department of Employment and Economic Development data indicates the Hospitality industry remains down thousands of jobs from pre-pandemic levels, indicating tremendous opportunity for youth and new workers;
- The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Explore Minnesota Tourism and Hospitality Minnesota survey data indicates that while 61% of hospitality operators are hiring, 87% of operators report labor availability as “tight”;
- Hospitality is one of the fastest pathways to management and entrepreneurship regardless of postsecondary education, with national experts indicating 9 in 10 managers and 8 in 10 owners began at entry level positions;
- Wages are rising rapidly and the average hospitality worker in Minnesota now makes a higher wage than that of the state median income. In 2021, the average hospitality wage rose 15%, more than double the rate of inflation.
- One-in-three Americans get their start in hospitality. BLS data indicates the accommodation and foodservice sector employs workers aged 16-19 at a rate more than five times the average workplace. While brand-new and youth workers are more likely to initially be compensated less than mature, experienced workers, the pathway to advancement (including management) is swift with so much opportunity; and
- According to federal data, workers who get their start in tourism and travel hospitality earn more over their career than workers who get their start elsewhere, including women, Hispanic and African American workers. Workers with a high school degree or less also make more over the course of their career if they start in this industry.
There is tremendous opportunity for young people starting out in hospitality and educators, policymakers and industry should work together to give those with a passion for hospitality the tools they need to successfully pursue a dynamic career journey. Continuing to fund the growth of successful high school work force programs like ProStart and the Hospitality Tourism Management Program should be a policy goal for the State.
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