AkH&LA is the managing association of the Lodging Management high school training program, which was developed to increase the quality and employability of today's high school graduates by providing them with training related to important job skills as well as opportunities for careers. The Lodging Management Program (LMP) provides 11th and 12th grade students with the classroom learning and real-life work experiences needed to take advantage of the boundless opportunities in lodging.

This program is based on 45 years of industry-driven curriculum development, which brought together needs and classroom learning. The LMP introduces students to all major departments in a lodging property. It provides work-based learning such as student internships, field trips and job-shadowing. These students are the future leaders of this industry and could be your future employees.

The Skills, Tasks, and Results Training Program, developed by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, is a one-year or 180 classroom hour curriculum that gives students the real-world knowledge and skills needed for a long-term career in the lodging industry. S T A R T provides training for hospitality positions in the rooms and food and beverage divisions of a lodging operation, including front desk, reservations, housekeeping, bell services, restaurant service, banquet setup and service, and more. Guest service, professionalism, and career exploration are other important components of this program.

S T A R T is designed specifically for workforce development to serve targeted clients such as, at-risk youth, welfare-to-work, dislocated workers, and other targeted groups. Students in the S T A R T program get on track to begin a career in lodging or continue their education with additional lodging educational programs. Additionally, S T A R T is an ideal curriculum for 9th and 10th grade high school students to prepare them to enter the Lodging Management Program (LMP) curriculum available to 11th and 12th grade students.

Best of all, EI will waive the fee for one future line-level certification for all students who successfully complete the S T A R T program--giving students a real jump-start on their careers.

For 50 years, the Educational Institute (EI) has been the premier source for providing industry-tested, research-driven hospitality training resources worldwide.

EI, along with the American Hotel & Lodging Association and it's Member State Associations work to consult with workforce development agencies, community and faith based organizations, Job Corps, community colleges and schools in order to help promote the program and facilitate the transition of students into industry jobs. For more information on the LMP or START programs, click here.