Industry Member Resources

How can I become involved with the Pennsylvania ProStart Program?

Are you a culinary industry professional in Pennsylvania? We are always looking for chefs, restaurant or food-service business owners, managers, vendors, and others in the industry members to get involved with ProStart®. There are many ways to help:

Mentor

As a ProStart mentor, you will provide support, coaching, and encouragement for students as well as assist ProStart educators in developing students' professional skills. The time commitment can vary based on your availability and the needs of the school. Mentoring activities can include:

Guest Speaking in a ProStart Classroom
Guest Speaker: Career

• Share the story of your career: how you entered the industry, what helped you get ahead, what skills and abilities your current position requires and take questions from the students.

Guest Speaker with Demo

• Share the story of your career and demonstrate a skill that has helped you get where you are. The skill you demonstrate could be related to culinary arts or restaurant management.

Guest Instructor: Lesson

• Present a one-time lesson on a subject you’re familiar with. Work with the educator to identify the topic. Examples include calculating food costs, applying for restaurant positions, plate presentation, modifying recipes for healthy eaters etc.

Guest Mentor: Lesson

• Observe students in the kitchen and provide feedback—and assistance—as they demonstrate their skills. Work with the educator to identify the skills students will be learning and demonstrating that day.

Host a Field Trip
Facility Tour

• Invite a ProStart class to tour your operation so that students can get a better view of how a restaurant/ food service operation works in person. Schedule the tour with the educator so it occurs at a time that works for the class and for your operation.

Tour with Food

• End the tour with a tasting!

Field Hands-on Tour

• Invite a ProStart class to tour your operation, assign your team members to talk with students and guide them in a hands-on activity--and then treat them to a meal.

Mentorship
Class Mentor

• Schedule multiple visits to the same ProStart class to speak, teach, observe and interact with students. Can last from a few visits to a full semester (or school year). Share what you like about the industry, how you got where you are, your aspirations, teach lessons, demonstrate skills, provide hands-on help as students learn and refine skills and develop a strong connection with the students and the educator.

Competition Team Mentor (Culinary or Management)

• Assist the educator in preparing the school’s culinary team or restaurant management team for their state ProStart Invitational.  Become familiar with the rules and provide guidance to students as they prepare to compete. Accompany them to the state event and cheer their efforts. Who knows? You may be preparing them for one more event: the National ProStart Invitational. Your time commitment and schedule will be developed in concert with the educator.

Create an Internship
​Work with the educator to create a paid internship for a ProStart student. Internships can be short-term (3-12 weeks) or longer-term (3 -12 months). Regular feedback for the student and periodic check-ins with the educator are what set an internship apart from a job.  There is no expectation of continued employment.  Connected with more than one student? The educator will guide students through an application process and you will interview them and select your intern.

Sponsor

Sponsor our program and events to connect with future leaders of the restaurant and food-service industry who are your future employees or consumers of your products. By supporting the ProStart program, you are supporting the future of the industry! 

Choose a general program support package, or sponsor one of our events throughout the year, including:

• Pennsylvania ProStart Student Invitational (winter)
• National ProStart Student Invitational (spring)
• PA ProStart Teacher Trainings (2x/ year)
• PRLAEF Scholarship Programs

Tweets by PAProStart

ProStart Support Packages
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Volunteer

• OAC Member: Serve on your local school district's Occupational Advisory Committee (OAC). State mandated ​​OACs advise the school board, administration and staff on curriculum, equipment, instructional materials, safety requirements, program evaluation, and other related matters to verify that the programs meet industry standards. 
• ProStart Competition: Serve as a culinary or management judge or volunteer for the PA state competition. You will have the opportunity to help students grow and learn during a fun-filled day of culinary rivalry. 

Want to get involved with PA ProStart as an industry mentor? Fill out the interest form on the right-hand side of the page to get started. Learn more about the ProStart Program at www.chooserestaurants.org/prostart.