Fare Share: Restaurants still 728,000 jobs below pre-pandemic levels
As you dine out at restaurants across central Ohio, you still might encounter reduced business hours, long wait times to be seated and sections of the restaurant closed. Restaurants do not want to keep you waiting and would much rather serve you great food and hospitality in a timely manner, but most continue to face staffing shortages.
According to a July National Restaurant Association report, eating and drinking places remain 728,000 jobs below their pre-pandemic peak. In Ohio, most restaurants continue to operate about 20% below their staffing levels prior to the pandemic in 2019.
Actionable workforce solutions is now a top priority of the Ohio Restaurant Association and our ORA Foundation. ORAF is our 501(c)(3), and its purpose is to empower people in the restaurant and foodservice industry, strengthen our members’ businesses and improve communities where they operate in Ohio.
Individuals who want to learn, grow and find a career that matches their interest and skills are provided direct access to restaurant, foodservice and hospitality employers who have current employment openings through the foundation’s workforce training programs.
Two important programs spearheaded by the foundation focused on training the next generation of hospitality professionals are the Ohio ProStart culinary arts and management program for high school students and the Hospitality Opportunities for People (Re)Entering Society (HOPES) program.
ProStart is a nationally recognized training program for high school students interested in the culinary arts and restaurant management as a career. Students participate in several competitions throughout the year to test their culinary prowess. Most recently, six teams competed in the Ohio Beef Council’s annual Capital City Burger Battle at the Ohio State Fair, with a delicious take on a Caribbean Burger winning first place. ProStart students finish the program ready to join the workforce and make an immediate impact in our industry.
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HOPES is an ever-evolving opportunity as Ohio is one of four states to receive grant funding from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to implement the program. In partnership with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction and Alvis, the program connects justice-involved individuals to career opportunities in the hospitality industry with the goals of developing work-readiness and industry-specific skills, increasing credentialing and reducing recidivism.
As restaurants remain a cornerstone of our communities and our state’s economy, it is important the industry continues to focus on providing robust career opportunities to employees with a total-rewards approach that includes competitive pay and benefits, training, career growth and community involvement. At the center of the best restaurants is a commitment to welcoming employees from all walks of life and a culture of caring and inclusiveness.
If you know a high school student who’s ideal for the ProStart program or a justice-involved individual with a passion for food, learn more today by going to the foundation’s website at ORAEF.org.
John Barker is the president and CEO of the Ohio Restaurant Association.
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Fare Share: Ohio restaurants still 728,000 jobs below pre-COVID levels
