LLCC will host a National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) apprenticeship accelerator meeting Monday, Sept. 24 to introduce the nation’s first restaurant management apprenticeship program to interested restaurant employers in the Springfield area.

The NRAEF conducts apprenticeship accelerator meetings across the country to explain how the program works and demonstrate how it can address restaurant industry challenges to find and retain top talent. The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. in Bistro Verde.

In 2016, the NRAEF and the American Hotel & Lodging Association received a $1.8 million contract from the U.S. Department of Labor to develop the first-ever federally registered hospitality sector apprenticeship program. The program places individuals in paid apprenticeships focused on management-level positions across the hospitality and foodservice industries, translating into increased skills, higher wages, recognized credentials and a career advancement plan. Read more.