Over the last year, a task force of ORLA members has been collaborating with the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to develop a curriculum guideline and resource designed to prepare Oregon students statewide for careers in our industry. As the focus on Career & Technical Education (CTE) in our schools has expanded, the large numbers of high-wage, high-demand jobs that the Hospitality & Tourism industry generates has drawn attention from education leaders responsible for developing Oregon's future workforce. 

Many of this Blog's readers are familiar with ProStart, the culinary arts program, which is an example of a CTE program of study. In this new project, we have widened the lens to include career pathways in lodging, foodservice, travel/tourism, and event management to more fully represent the broad range of opportunity that our industry provides. The hope is to expand the future pipeline of Hospitality & Tourism managerial candidates as the industry will need to maximize its growth potential.

The next phase involves rolling out these new guidelines and resources to Oregon's K-12 school districts and the State's College and University system. This will begin with the Oregon Association of Career & Technical Educators (OACTE) conference this April in Portland. The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) is working closely with ODE and OACTE to make sure that ORLA member involvement in the design process is driving effective classroom instruction and the adoption of these additional career pathway courses by school districts statewide.

Let us know if you want to see more hospitality and tourism industry classes in your local schools. Please contact the Oregon Hospitality Foundation if you want to participate, get involved, and stay informed. | Eric Aebi MBA, CHBA, Chemeketa Community College Hospitality & Tourism Management Dept.

At the Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF), we believe in the importance of investing in long-term workforce outcomes, and we do this in part by continuously informing and inspiring students to engage with the hospitality industry. We cannot be successful with these efforts without also being able to share the real perspectives and stories of industry professionals. 

One way industry members can connect with younger generations looking to enter the workforce is by participating in career fairs. The Northwest Youth Careers Expo will be hosting an event on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. This is an incredible opportunity for us to come together as an industry and showcase why hospitality is a great investment into these students’ careers.
 
This annual community event attracts 6,000 high school students and educators from around Oregon, as well as the region's leading employers and postsecondary partners, such as Intel, Nike, Boeing, the city of Portland, Kaiser Permanente, OHSU, and many more, hosting 200+ booths and hands-on demos. The Expo is a fun, efficient way to educate students and teachers about career paths within hospitality, as well as about ways to earn work experience through part-time or summer jobs.
 
To learn more about the Expo, sponsor and exhibitor opportunities, and participating schools, visit Portlandworkforcealliance.org/our-work/expo. You can contact the Portland Workforce Alliance at [email protected] with any questions.
 
As the new Workforce Development Coordinator for the Oregon Hospitality Foundation, my goal is to learn more about our members and the struggles they face in the workforce space. I am also searching for members who are willing to engage with schools in speaking or mentorship capacities. If you are interested in setting up a meeting, please shoot me an email at [email protected]. | Ella Sturdevant, Oregon Hospitality Foundation

​In June of this year, Chick-fil-A Kuebler Gateway in Salem first opened its doors. Like every new Chick-fil-A location, they celebrated this accomplishment with their First 100 Program. This program supports the surrounding community by honoring 100 heroes in the Salem area with free Chick-fil-A entrees for a year. Among their many deserving recipients, they recognized Salem for Refugees for their work providing localized services and support to refugees. Aside from their community members being First 100 recipients, they also partner with Chick-fil-A Kuebler Gateway for employment opportunities.

Salem for Refugees aims to strengthen ties to the hospitality industry to get more of their community members into the workforce. Because many of their members do not speak English or Spanish, they have identified back-of-house roles as a good fit for their demographic. However, they are still struggling to fill the demands of their growing labor pool. They need restaurant and hotel partners willing to take on refugee employees. One of the most significant barriers to doing so is that their members are non-English speakers.

Lee Richardson and his team at Chick-fil-A Kuebler Gateway are an excellent example of a successful relationship between Salem for Refugees and a hospitality business despite perceived barriers. Lee has hired a total of 5 of their community members. When he has applicable job openings, he communicates this to Salem for Refugees, and they supply possible applicants from their pool. Similar to any employee group, there have been hires, let-goes, and transitions. However, Lee stressed that everything he experienced hiring from this applicant pool proves no different than any other. Even with language barriers, he has stated that transition time into a new role takes about a month, about how long it would take anyone to feel comfortable with their job. With the accessibility of smartphone translation services, language gaps are often closed easily. For any more complicated translation needs surrounding employment, Salem for Refugees is just a call away from providing these services. They also assist with getting applicants any required certification for a particular role or employer.

The team at Chick-fil-A Kuebler Gateway has found great value in opening its doors to refugee employees. Lee described them as some of the most dedicated, hardworking, and loyal people to work with. It is apparent to anyone who stops by their location that Lee and his management team are a positive force in their employees’ lives. Even being the high-level of an employer that they are, they don’t have a secret strategy to work with refugees, there is no need for one. What Chick-fil-A is achieving is accessible, and all it takes is a little translation here and there.

Want to learn more about Salem for Refugees and how your business can get involved? Contact Ella Sturdevant, Oregon Hospitality Foundation’s Workforce Development Coordinator, or Mohsin Jamal with Salem for Refugees.