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Oregon Hospitality Foundation's Workforce Blog

Supported by our partners at Travel Oregon

My New Role as Workforce Development Coordinator

11/7/2023

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When I decided to go to the ORLA Hospitality Conference just over a month ago, I knew that I wanted to work in this industry. My journey through hospitality began with my love of cooking. This love eventually turned into a degree in food management, a subsequent job in catering, and my decision to attend the conference. I went to this event with no expectations other than the goal of kickstarting my career. While I did achieve what I set out to do, I did not expect to get such a warm welcome from the industry, and an opportunity to become the new Workforce Development Coordinator for the organization that made it all possible. 
 
For a bit of background, I graduated from Oregon State University with a major in Food Systems Management this past June. In addition to being a student, I was a full-time catering manager for OSU’s Global Community Kitchen program in my final year of undergrad. I often call myself a catering manager because it was the easiest way to describe my work, however, what made my program unique is the integral role that the university students played in the catering process. We worked almost exclusively with student-planned events and included them in nearly every step of the food service process. This meant that in addition to running a full-service catering kitchen, I was often teaching students from scratch how to do things such as planning for a 1500-person dinner service. I learned many valuable lessons about building an effective team in my previous role that will help as I step into this new one.
 
Outside of my professional life, I am an avid distance runner, salsa dancer, and home chef. One of my favorite things to do is learn how to cook dishes from different cultures in addition to my own. I am half Cambodian, so I enjoy making food from that culture.
 
As I begin my career in workforce development for ORLA, I am looking forward to helping those who are trying to break into the hospitality space, just like I was only a couple of months ago. I also look forward to making an impact on both the industry and those who don't yet know just how great it is to work in it. | Ella Sturdevant

Want to learn more about how to get involved with our workforce development initiatives? Maybe volunteer for guest speaking opportunities, job shadows, participate in job/career fairs or offer experiential field trips? Contact Ella Sturdevant.
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    Authors

    The Oregon Hospitality Foundation (OHF) team includes Courtney Smith, ​ProStart Manager, Ella Sturdevant, Workforce Development Coordinator, Rebecca Donley, Hospitality Sector Strategist, and Jason Brandt, President & CEO (ORLA) / Foundation Board Member.

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  • ABOUT
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
    • ORLA Board
    • OHF Board
    • ORLAMS Board
    • Staff
    • Industry Groups
  • MEMBERSHIP
    • Restaurant & Lodging Membership
    • Allied Membership
    • Buyers' Guide
    • Cost-Saving Member Programs >
      • ORLA Finance Center
      • Hospitality Insurance Program
      • Clover
      • SAIF
      • Hospitality Partners
      • Coupons & Discounts
    • Get Involved
    • Lodging Listings
  • ADVOCACY
    • Federal Advocacy
    • Get Involved
    • Take Action
    • Industry Grants
    • Legislative Agenda
    • Local Advocacy & Leadership
    • Lottery
    • Meet the Team
    • ORLA Outcomes
    • Portland Advocacy Blog
    • Regional Roundtables
    • Support PAC >
      • Donate to PAC
  • FOUNDATION
    • Foundation Board
    • Contribute
    • Guest Service Gold®
    • ProStart >
      • ProStart Championships
      • Prostart / CTE Resources
    • Workforce Blog
    • Workforce Development >
      • Best Practices
      • Restaurant Ready
  • TRAINING
    • Alcohol Server Training
    • Food Handler Training
    • ServSafe® Manager
    • Crises & Disasters
    • Guest Service Gold®
    • Human Trafficking
    • Industry Certifications
    • Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy >
      • Before You Apply
      • Experiential Learning Overview
    • RestaurantOwner
    • Restaurant Employee Development Training
    • Workforce Resources >
      • Best Practices
      • Restaurant Ready
  • RESOURCES / EVENTS
    • Ads & Sponsorships
    • Buyers' Guide
    • Blog
    • Calendar
    • Compliance & ADA >
      • Wage and Hour
      • Federal & State Agencies
    • Crises & Disasters >
      • Wildfires and Power Outages
    • Digital Publication
    • FAQs
    • ORLA Events >
      • ORLA Awards
    • Podcast
    • Regional Meetings
    • Sustainability >
      • Reducing Food Waste