Seeking to advance the careers of young people, The Coca-Cola Company and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced the launch of the ProStart Virtual Lounge. The interactive networking site assists students who are starting their careers in the restaurant, food service and hospitality industries.
The Virtual Lounge supports ProStart, the NRAEF’s high-school culinary arts and restaurant management training and certification program. The nationwide two-year career and technical education program is offered in 1,700 schools across the country with 140,000 students currently enrolled. These students now have a way to discover new interests—gaining new skills while learning about industry career opportunities via the Virtual Lounge platform.
The Virtual Lounge, built through the collaboration of Coca-Cola and the NRAEF, is another initiative of The Coca-Cola Company’s long-standing support of the ProStart program and the Educational Foundation. Since 2003 Coca-Cola has contributed over $15 million to the program that includes $100,000 in scholarships each year.
“The Foundation’s partnership with Coca-Cola has directly benefitted the lives of thousands of young people interested in our industry,” said Rob Gifford, president of the NRAEF. “The ProStart Virtual Lounge is a new way for the Foundation and Coca-Cola to open doors of opportunity for ProStart students and alumni everywhere, and to let them know that the ProStart community will be with them every step of the way.”
The opening of the Virtual Lounge coincides with the start of the ProStart fall semester. The official kick-off celebration of the Virtual Lounge includes a sweepstakes for ProStart students and alumni who register on the site between August 24 and October 18. They will be automatically entered to win one of 50 prizes, including a digital camera, tablet and ring-light kit used for improving food photography skills.
Coca-Cola experts engage with the students in a range of activities that includes helping students with their recipes and restaurant concepts, food photography, alumni success stories, inspiration from celebrity chefs and influencers, among other offerings. The many interactions in the ProStart Virtual Lounge are part of the planning and development undertaken by Dedica, a full-service agency that focuses on strategy development, design execution, and production across brands.
“We’re proud to support the NRAEF in creating a high energy place where students can learn from each other, grow, and network,” said Krista Schulte, Vice President, Industry Affairs, The Coca-Cola Company. “Through the ProStart program, we have the ability to inspire, educate and help mentor the industry’s future leaders.”
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