Employment & Training
Child Care
Employer Services
Investing in our Future Workforce
Unlocking the Future: Addressing Workforce Challenges Through Education Partnerships
TRANSFORMING POTENTIAL INTO EXCELLENCE
TEXAS HOTEL & LODGING ASSOCIATION
DEBBIE WIELAND – THLA EDUCATION OUTREACH & FOUNDATION DIRECTOR
Note: There are 41 school districts and 4 charter schools in Region 2.
Region 2
Student Enrollment Data (2023-2024)
Lodging & Resort
Management
u None
u Flour Bluff*
u Odem-Edroy ISD*
Travel, Tourism & Attractions
Culinary Arts
u Corpus Christi ISD
u Skidmore-Tynan ISD
u Alice ISD
u Beeville ISD
u Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco ISD
u Bishop CISD
u Corpus Christi ISD
u Gregory Portland ISD
u Ingleside ISD
u London ISD
u Orange Grove ISD
u Pettus ISD
u Premont ISD
u Robstown ISD
u RockportFulton ISD
u San Diego ISD
Forging Strong Education – Industry Partnerships Leads To:
u Building a Strong Workforce Pipeline
u Hands-On Learning and Skill Development
u Industry Relevant Research & Innovation
u Cultivating a Culture of Excellence
u Meeting Labor Market Needs
u Nurturing Local Talent and Community Engagement
u Inspiring Lifelong Commitment
u Teacher Professional Development
u Community Engagement and Social Impact
u Host property tours for students.
u Serve as a classroom guest speaker beginning at the elementary school level.
u Provide workplace case studies for students to learn about the industry.
u Provide work-based learning opportunities for students.
u Partner with CTSOs.
u Participate in mentorship programs.
u Provide Educator Externships.
u Serve on a school district Industry Advisory Committee.
u Provide input on course development.
u Provide input on programs of study content.
• Contact the local school district.
• Speak to the Career and Technical Education Director.
• OFFER your expertise and knowledge.
§ Education Partnership Resource Folder
§ THLA support in developing education-industry partnerships
§ High School Hotel Summer Camp
§ Lodging & Resort Management Promotional Brochure
§ THLA Hotel Short Course
§ HOSTed Hospitality Teacher Certification
§ Hospitality Educators Association of Texas
§ AHLA Registered Apprenticeships
Folders Containing Resources
Accessible on the THLA Website
Lodging & Resort Management Internship Handbooks
Workplace Mentor Handbook
Student Handbook
Texas Hotel & Lodging Association
Hotel Summer Camp
Session 1: Hilton University of Houston
June 12-14, 2024
Session 2: AC Hotel by Marriott, Fort Worth
June 19-21, 2024
Session 3: Texas A&M University Conference Center
June 24-26, 2024
Teacher Professional Development
tabruscato@txrestaurant.org
TONY ABRUSCATO Chief Marketing Officer
Since 1937 the Texas Restaurant Association has served as the advocate in Texas and an indispensable resource for the hospitality and foodservice industry.
Established in 1994 by the Texas Restaurant Association, the Texas Restaurant Foundation (TRF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to building and maintaining a strong professional foodservice workforce in Texas. Leveraging the latest skills, tools, and certifications, the TRF creates pathways of opportunity for one of the state’s largest and most diverse industries.
as of 12/31/2023
57,000 locations
1.5M people employed
$106B gross revenues
TEXAS RESTAURANT FOUNDATION
Our flagship program is Texas ProStart, an industry-based, two-year high school culinary arts and restaurant management program that reaches more than 27,000 students across 252 high schools in Texas. Texas ProStart prepares students for careers in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Students gain valuable restaurant and foodservice skills through their academic and workplace experience.
The Texas ProStart Invitational, presented by Raising Cane's is an event that is an opportunity for students from across Texas to showcase their skills in a real-world setting. With competitions in Culinary Arts, Restaurant Management, and Hospitality Services, participants are tested on their abilities to create innovative dishes, craft business plans, and present their ideas in front of a panel of expert judges. The top teams will earn scholarships and the chance to compete at the national level
To strengthen the foodservice workforce in Texas, TRF offers scholarships to Texas ProStart students allowing them to further their education at the post-secondary level. In the past ten years, our organization has awarded almost $2 million to Texas students and educational programs to build and maintain a strong professional foodservice workforce..
A series of interactive discussions with Texas Restaurant Foundation Corporate Partners. This is an opportunity for students to ask questions, get answers and gain knowledge on a variety of exciting industry careers.
Texas Restaurant Foundation’s annual "train-the-trainer" conference for current and future
Texas ProStart educators. Classes, demos, and presentations are led by industry professionals, chefs, and restaurateurs.
H.O.P.E.S.
Hospitality Opportunities for People (Re)Entering Society (HOPES) helps connect justiceinvolved individuals to career opportunities in the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industry with goals of developing work-readiness and industry-specific skills, increasing credentialing, placement, retention, and reducing recidivism.
TRF’s newest program connects justice-involved individuals to career opportunities in the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry with goals of developing work-readiness and industry-specific skills, increasing credentialing, training, placement and reducing recidivism.
• A person's relapse into criminal behavior is cut to 22% for justice-involved individuals who have a job secured prior to release.*
• Relapse is cut to 3% for justice-involved individuals who have a job secured prior to release and are enrolled in an education program.**
*Source: https://bjs.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/
** Source: Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Reentry & Integration Division
TONY ABRUSCATO Chief Marketing Officer
• 3.2M Riders -> 5.4M miles
• 330 Employees & Contractors
• CCRTA provides fixed-route, paratransit, vanpool, rural, and other services across 10+ communities which includes:
o Agua Dulce
o Bishop
o Driscoll
o Port Aransas
o City of San Patricio
• 33 Fixed-routes
• 1,375 Bus stops
o Banquete
o Corpus Christi
o Gregory
o Robstown
o Nueces County (Unincorporated)
• Extended service for popular routes and paratransit
• GoPass Mobile App - pass purchases, trip planning, & bus tracking
• Destination Education – free rides for students
• Del Mar College Super Stops – southside expansion
• Shelter Expansion Program - 400 new shelters
• Park & Ride Shuttles – Free for major community events
• Award-winning Safety & Security efforts
• Port Ayers Transfer Station completing construction
• Service Adjustments to improve service, including:
o Direct, efficient service for downtown businesses and guests
o Service from TAMU-CC to downtown
o Enhanced service along TAMU-CC & Flour Bluff
o Improved service along Saratoga Blvd. & to NAS-CCAD
o FLEX on-demand route for CC/Padre Island/Port A communities
Questions?
