The Washington Hospitality Association, a membership organization serving the hospitality industry in Washington State, has announced that it is offering scholarships aimed at connecting workers with skills improvement classes designed especially for hospitality employees.
Through a new Incumbent Worker (IWT) pilot program, scholarships are available to all hospitality employees in the state. Employers or workers may take advantage of the funding.
Advantages for All
“One of the biggest pain points for the hospitality industry in the state right now is workforce development and retention,” said Naja Hogander, manager of the Washington Hospitality Association’s Workforce Education Foundation. “An ideal incumbent worker training would be one where a participant acquires new skills allowing him or her to move into a higher skilled and higher paid job within the company, thus allowing the company to hire a job seeker to backfill the incumbent worker’s position.”
The Hospitality Association has created training options that employers from across the state have indicated are critical skills and certifications for hospitality employees. The program aims to connect skills improvement training with the people who want to advance.
Scholarships allow employees to pursue AHLEI Customer Service Gold training, ServSafe Alcohol certification, ServSafe Manager Certification, anti-trafficking awareness training, and more. The scholarship program is designed to bring important certifications to businesses with little to no investment beyond the time needed for workers to apply and participate. There is also no limit on applicants from a single business.
“This program is designed to increase both a participant’s and a company’s competitiveness,” said Hogander.
Examples of Other Programs
This highly specialized program is not the only of its kind. Many associations offer scholarships for training or education.
The American Welding Society (AWS), for example, offers six types of scholarships, including a welder training scholarship. The scholarship provides funds to students seeking welder training through a trade school, community college or other facility providing welder training programs.
The AWS welder training scholarship is a skills-based program, for students seeking welder training in a program up to two years; it cannot be used for credits towards a four-year program.
The National Retail Federation (NRF), through the NRF Foundation, offers a variety of scholarship programs for students and retail workers. One of these programs, the Dream Big Scholarship, offered in collaboration with University of Phoenix, awards 20 current retail workers a full-tuition scholarship to advance their careers through education.
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), through the SHRM Foundation, offers scholarships that provide financial assistance for the SHRM certification exam and/or preparation, as well as academic scholarships for individuals pursuing careers in human resources.
Closing the Gap
Companies interested in developing workers’ skills should explore industry associations and professional societies for financial support. Be sure to research both national and regional organizations.
For small to midsize companies with limited budgets, scholarship programs can be particularly attractive, as they provide a no-cost way to address the skills gap.
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Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages. |