Local Restaurant Employers to Prepare
Rowland High School Students for First Jobs
ROWLAND HEIGHTS, CA – OCTOBER 18, 2019 -- Local restaurant professionals will be “teachers for a day” at Rowland High School on October 22 from 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Volunteers are helping Gen Z students prepare for their first jobs – everything from resume-writing to practical interview skills.
This is part of an annual event called Force In Training® (FIT) that is put on by the California Restaurant Association Foundation (CRAF) in partnership with restaurant brands. This one-day classroom takeover is hosted in 53 high schools across the state, training nearly 3,500 students.
Restaurant volunteers lead the three-hour FIT training at each high school. Students learn how to write a resume, interview, read a paycheck, map out a career, and more. Restaurant industry volunteers bring the lessons to life with real-world examples and experience.
Restaurants have a major role to play in youth employment. Nearly one in three people got their start in restaurants. First jobs are also critical to fostering soft skills like teamwork, customer service, and responsibility – skills that may not be as intuitive for Gen Z digital natives. Leaders from brands such as BJ’s Restaurants, Taco Bell and Susie Cakes are teaming up with CRAF to provide youth the skills, certifications and resources they need to land that all-important first job.
“Industry leaders really bring the lesson to life. When an employer from the local community comes into the classroom to teach students how to land a job –students pay attention,” said Alyica Harshfield, executive director of CRAF. “We’re so glad to partner with Rowland High School on this training.”
Rowland High School is involved in ProStart, a CRAF program that provides introductory culinary arts training and hospitality career-exploration programs for high school students. The school also features a culinary facility where students can put their skills to work.
“This program has been life-changing for my students,” said Kathy Stella, Rowland High School Culinary Arts Teacher. “From our work in the classroom and through events like FIT® Day, it’s amazing to watch these students be inspired to discover new passions and a world of opportunity in front of them.”
For more information about the 2019 FIT® Day or CRAF’s ProStart program, please visit www.calrestfoundation.org. To learn about the Rowland High School’s Culinary Arts Programs and Senior Seminar, go to www.rowlandhs.org Rowland High School is located at 2000 S. Otterbein Ave. in Rowland Heights.
The Rowland Unified School District has garnered numerous state and national awards and is proud of its 19 schools in the communities of Rowland Heights, Walnut, La Puente, City of Industry, and West Covina. More than 5,000 adults (18+) are also served by the Rowland Adult and Community Education School. For more information about Rowland Unified, the community can call (626) 965-2541 or download the free Rowland USD Mobile App for iOS and Android phones/devices that has news, school calendars, a safety Tip Line, and helpful parent and District resources. The public can also follow Rowland schools on Facebook.com and Instagram @RowlandUSD and on Twitter @RowlandSchools or visit www.RowlandSchools.org.