About ProStart

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year program for high school students that develops the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s industry leaders. From culinary techniques to management skills, ProStart’s industry-driven curriculum provides real-world educational opportunities and builds practical skills and a foundation that will last a lifetime.
 
By bringing industry and the classroom together, ProStart gives students a platform to discover new interests and talents and opens doors for fulfilling careers. It all happens through a curriculum that teaches all facets of the restaurant and foodservice industry, inspires students to succeed and sets a
high standard of excellence for students and the industry.

With national and local support from industry members, educators, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and state restaurant associations, ProStart reaches 90,000 students nationwide.

How ProStart Works

ProStart brings the industry and classroom together.
ProStart offers opportunities for students.
  • ProStart unites the industry and the classroom to create a unique and unparalleled experience for students.
  • By bringing industry and the classroom together, ProStart provides teachers and students access to relevant, real-world educational opportunities.
  • The industry-driven curriculum is one-of-a-kind and is exposing students to a world beyond their expectations.
  • Students not only learn from educators in the classroom, but they also gain valuable hands-on experience by working at least 400 hours in the industry.
  • ProStart offers life-changing opportunities for students and provides direction for potential career paths.
  • ProStart provides a platform for students to discover new interests and talents and opens the door to a viable career path.
  • ProStart gives students a sense of purpose and helps them feel passionate about their own futures.
  • With national and local support from industry members, educators, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and state restaurant associations, ProStart reaches 90,000 students in nearly every state across the United States.
ProStart develops tomorrow’s workforce.
ProStart sets a standard of excellence. 
  • ProStart is developing tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice industry workforce.
  • ProStart’s relevant, real-world curriculum enables the restaurant and foodservice industry to grow its own talent.
  • Through a curriculum that teaches all facets of the restaurant and foodservice industry, ProStart provides students with practical skills to succeed and opens doors for a fulfilling career.
  • ProStart blends inspiration with the development of tangible skills to transform students into tomorrow’s leaders.
  • ProStart sets a high standard of excellence for students and the industry overall.
  • ProStart is a proven, high-impact program that has changed the lives of students and the industry.
  • Through ProStart’s unparalleled, industry-driven program, we are building the best and brightest talent and elevating the entire restaurant and foodservice industry.
  • ProStart alumni enter the workforce prepared for the future and excited to begin their promising careers.
Scope of ProStart
  • ProStart reaches:
              95,000 students nationwide
               1,900 schools
               48 states, with additional programs in Guam and U.S. Military Bases
  • In MS, ProStart reaches:
               1540 students
                43 schools
  • Five years after earning the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement, 81 percent of students are still studying and/or working in the industry.
  • Five years after competing in the National ProStart Invitational, 78 percent of students are still studying and/or working in the industry.

The Need for ProStart 

  • The restaurant industry employs about 12.8 million people, or nine percent of the U.S. workforce.
  • The restaurant industry is expected to add 1.3 million jobs over the next decade, with employment reaching 14 million by 2021. Every additional $1 million in restaurant sales generates 34 jobs for the economy.

ProStart National Certificate of Achievement

  • The ProStart National Certificate of Achievement is an industry-recognized certificate awarded to students who have completed the requirements of the ProStart program.
  • To earn the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement, students complete the two-year ProStart program, pass two national exams, demonstrate mastery of foundationalskills and work 400 mentored hours.
  • Students who receive the certificate are eligible for NRAEF scholarship opportunities and course credits at more than 75 of the country’s leading hospitality and culinary arts colleges and universities.

National Restaurant Association/National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

  • The National Restaurant Association was founded in 1919 and is the leading business association for the restaurant industry.
  • The National Restaurant Association comprises 945,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees.
  • The MHRA represents and supports 1800 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 18,000 employees in MS.
  • The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is the philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association.
  • Together, the National Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), and state restaurant associations support ProStart by enhancing the restaurant industry’s service to the public through education, community engagement, and promotion of career opportunities.

Qualified Institutions for MRAEF Scholarships

These schools are official Partners with the MRAEF. For contact information on these schools please call the MHRA office at 601.420.4210.
  • Hinds Community College
  • Northeast MS Community College
  • MS Gulf Coast Community College
  • MUW Culinary Institute
  • University of MS Hospitality Management Program
  • University of Southern Mississippi Hospitality Management Program
  • Louisiana Culinary Institute
  • The International Culinary Schools of the Arts Institute
  • Johnson & Wales
  • Le Cordon Bleu
  • Culinary Institute of America
  • New England Culinary Institute
  • Sullivan University's National Center for Hospitality Studies​

Please Help Us Develop Tomorrow's Workforce by Contributing Today.
​Please send your tax deductible contributions to:

MRAEF/Scholarships
 11 Northtown Drive, Suite 125
Jackson, MS 39211