Sodexo Jump-Starts Careers in Culinary Arts and Food Service
By Scott Sherman, Executive Recruiter

Over two challenging and rewarding years, ProStart students experience classroom study, mentored work experiences, and local and national competitions.

The National Restaurant Association's ProStart program is a special program for high school students offering the opportunity to learn about culinary arts and foodservice management by training with professional chefs and foodservice managers through in-unit and classroom instruction. According to the National Restaurant Association, the number of jobs in the restaurant and foodservice industry is projected to increase by 1.8 million from 2009 to 2019. That includes approximately 47,000 management positions. ProStart is already working for 78,000 student participants in 1,650 schools, across 47 states, territories and districts.

Sodexo believes ProStart will help fill future foodservice industry positions and attract the next generation of candidates to create their careers with Sodexo. Sodexo is proud to be a national ProStart sponsor since 1998, helping to provide college scholarships for top ProStart performers. This year, we are extending our involvement with ProStart programs to include working behind the scenes at a handful of high schools in California, New Mexico, Michigan and Wisconsin. Sodexo General Managers work with ProStart instructors through classroom presentations, student participation with in-unit training with Sodexo staff, and offering year-round, part-time employment at the nearest unit. Other opportunities for college-bound ProStart students include scholarships, internships and potentially full-time employment upon graduation.

"Sodexo is looking for college-bound students who will be become our future Foodservice Managers, Sous Chefs, Chef Managers, Executive Chefs and General Managers. We make it possible for them to work while in school, and this affords them the opportunity to learn of our culture and about the foodservice profession through our involvement and our Future Leaders Internship Program so that when they graduate, they will think of Sodexo as a compelling career choice,” says Sodexo’s ProStart liaison, Jerry Paulison, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition.

Students involved in the ProStart program compete annually at the National ProStart Invitational. The Eighth Annual National ProStart Invitational will be held in April of 2009 in sunny San Diego. Sodexo Talent Acquisition Group’s Jerry Paulison and Myra Mendoza, as well as Lorna Donatone, President of Sodexo Schools Services, will represent Sodexo. The success of ProStart requires involvement from students and parents, educators and mentors, ProStart Coordinators and industry partners. You can learn more about ProStart at http://prostart.restaurant.org, http://www.goprostart.com or on their Facebook page.

Learn more about Sodexo’s college and internship initiatives by visiting Student Opportunities.