Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, a division of AFC Enterprises Inc., today announced its philanthropic arm, The Popeyes Foundation Inc., and its franchisees will partner with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's (NRAEF) ProStart program.
The two-year high school program introduces students nationwide to career opportunities available in the restaurant industry.
According to the NRA, the restaurant industry accounts for 12.8 million jobs, or 10 percent of the nation's total work base. This figure is projected to increase by 1.8 million jobs in the next decade. Despite the significant job opportunity represented by restaurant and foodservice management, the industry has experienced a recent decline in new entrants.
"The viability of the restaurant industry depends on the development, commitment and skill of the next generation of restaurant professionals," said Cheryl Bachelder, president and CEO for Popeyes. "To this end, we re-invigorated the Popeyes Foundation around a mission that reflects our brand's strong heritage of entrepreneurship. Our hope is that this partnership will help advance the next generation of dedicated, passionate leaders – not only for our brand, but for our entire industry."
ProStart reaches 90,000 students in 1,700 schools nationwide.
Popeyes will offer restaurant training for ProStart educators, as well as mentored work opportunities and internships with franchisees for ProStart students. Through ProStart's curriculum and hands-on experience with Popeyes, students will develop the culinary and management skills needed to become successful business owners and restaurant professionals.
