Ideagen Intersection
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Dawn:
Beyond that, I would say we have emphasized helping people build the skills to be successful in this industry. Later this year, we will be launching a program called ServSuccess that is a credentialing programs for people in our industry, in conjunction with the apprenticeship program.
This program allows participants to ladder up all these varying credentials to be able to build a career path, and know that they have a very bright and strong future in this industry. And, the recruitment and retention of employees is our industry’s single biggest challenge right now.
Dawn:
We have pivoted a lot of our resources, both in the National Restaurant Association, and in our Educational Foundation, towards workforce development, including helping veterans who are exiting the military find career opportunities in our industry. We are also focusing on giving second opportunities to people who are in a place in their life where they need kind of a second chance, like first time, non-violent offenders. We should not overlook the Opportunity Youth, who are the individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 and are neither in school nor employed. That is a very large population, approaching six million individuals now, who need a chance to prove what they can accomplish. I believe we are uniquely positioned to be able to provide those opportunities.
George:
Simply incredible. And also a great Segway to my next question which is, focused on cross sector collaboration. Dawn, why is cross sector collaboration and innovation so vital to help solve many of the world’s most vexing issues? And simply going further, how are you and the National Restaurant Association infusing collaboration and innovation into your daily mission to successfully achieve the goals?
Dawn:
I think you have now hit on what is the most important point of all. When you are trying to solve big challenges, you cannot do it alone. You have to look around and find folks who share your passion and commitment for solving these challenges in your industry, outside your industry, and hold hands with them, and figure out how to solve these things together. I think that is certainly a lot of what you are doing through Idea Gen, and what I honestly believe is the path to success for those of us in industry.
Dawn:
We have done this within our industry with like-minded organizations like the International Food Service Manufacturers Association, which represents all of the food companies and suppliers that are part of the ingredient profile for the foods in our restaurants. We work with the Food Service Distributors Association, which represents the food distributors that are vital for getting the products into the restaurants. There is an outstanding organization called the, "Women's Foodservice Forum," that is devoted to expanding the impact of women leaders in our industry, and we are very closely connected with them.
We have a strong female ownership profile, and we want to do more to support our industry’s women leaders.
Dawn:
And, I would say perhaps as important as anything, is the progress that we have made with the 52 state restaurant associations with whom we partner in all 50 states plus the DC Metro area and Puerto Rico. We have built a wonderful collaborative arrangement now with all of those organizations, where we continue to share similar goals, help each other execute in challenging advocacy environments. We are doing a lot of things across sectors outside of our industry with many other like-minded trade associations and NGO's here in DC, and around the world to advance our issues.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." -Ethiopian proverb