Lodging Professionals Tap High Schooler's Interest in Industry

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. December 15, 2009

DECEMBER 14, 2009 - On February 2, 2010, hoteliers across the country will take the opportunity to introduce high school students to more than 200 diverse industry job opportunities via National Groundhog Job Shadow Day. Sponsored within the lodging community by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), this national program allows students to 'shadow' hospitality professionals' daily work experiences, familiarizing themselves with the wide array of job opportunities within the industry.

A typical Groundhog Job Shadow Day entails hosting between five and 20 high school students at a hotel property or corporate headquarters for a "back-of-the-house" tour, providing a hands-on view of guest service, food & beverage, housekeeping, accounting, marketing, and other operations. Each student follows a staff mentor, including hotel owners, CEOs, general managers, security directors, executive chefs, concierge staff, and event planners, through a typical work day. Students participate in daily functions, gaining hands-on exposure to the wide array of professions in the lodging industry, and receive a certificate upon completion.

“As the nation's third-largest industry employing approximately 1.8 million hotel property workers*, AH&LA recognizes the need to educate tomorrow's growing workforce, which will require more than 700,000 additional workers by 2010,” said AH&LA President/CEO Joseph A. McInerney, CHA. “This annual event is the perfect opportunity to introduce students to a career option they may not have considered before.”

National Groundhog Job Shadow Day is a coordinated effort of America's Promise, Junior Achievement, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Labor. In addition to lodging industry participation, approximately 100,000 other businesses and organizations also host students via this career development initiative.

For additional information, including materials to participate, visit the AH&LA Website or contact Bevin Padden at (202) 289-3171 or [email protected].

*Figure based on 2008 statistics from AH&LA's 2009 Lodging Industry Profile

Serving the hospitality industry for a century, AH&LA is the sole national association representing all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industry, including individual hotel property members, hotel companies, student and faculty members, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AH&LA provides members with national advocacy on Capitol Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and information, and other value-added services to provide bottom line savings and ensure a positive business climate for the lodging industry. Partner state associations provide local representation and additional cost-saving benefits to members.