OHF on the Oregon Coast- Connecting Students to Careers

Staff from The Schooner

​This May, the Oregon Hospitality Foundation was very busy on the coast inspiring students to start a career in our industry. Over the past month, we traveled to Neah-kah-nie, Tillamook, and Nestucca High Schools, speaking to student groups about all that the industry has to offer.

Though each school had a wonderful audience, Nestucca’s group belonged to the very first cohort of their new High School Hospitality and Tourism Management Program (HTMP). This pilot course combines in-class instruction with hands-on learning at local businesses in a unique and effective way. The Schooner, one of the participating businesses, not only gave the students a stellar in-class presentation about the restaurant industry on the Oregon coast but also allowed them to work in their restaurant. Serving as employees for the day, they got a real taste of the business by greeting guests, serving tables, and washing dishes on-site. Over the term, the class was filled with experiences like this one spanning many different branches of the tourism industry.

As we speak to different schools across the state, we hope to teach students about the hospitality industry in the same incredible way that Nestucca is. After seeing all that HTMP has to offer at Nestucca High School it is clear why continued support of this program is important. We at OHF hope to see and support the establishment of more courses just like this one all over Oregon.

Want to learn more about how to get involved with our workforce development initiatives? Shoot me an email. | Ella Sturdevant, Oregon Hospitality Foundation 

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