Education and training is a major priority of the Michigan Restaurant Association. One of our goals for 2000 has been to re-energize members, vendors, regulators, legislators, educators and employees with quality and affordable learning opportunities. A few of these are listed below:

Michigan Hospitality School-to-Career Program
The Michigan Hospitality School-to-Career Program is leading the way in making sure the concerns of the foodservice/hospitality industry are addressed. The curriculum for this program is now the standard for training our future employees in 20 high schools in Michigan.

We need your help! Mentors are needed across the state in partnership with these 20 schools. Further, speakers and business tour opportunities are needed statewide. Working with teachers and program coordinators, you can build valuable relationships with young people in your community, helping them develop employment skills, and learn about careers in the industry. High schools students in the program benefit greatly from experience and guidance. Please contact Joan Opperman at (800) 968-9668, ext. 3927 for more information.

BarCode
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation has an alcohol server/manager product called BarCode. With the threat of pending legislation to mandate training for servers/managers, you might want to become more familiar with this product. You can train your own staff and obtain certificates for them. For more information, please give us a call at (800) 968-9668.

New Food Code
The MRA promotes ServSafe® training products. The traditional 16-hour classes are provided by many local health departments across the state. For home study, individuals may use a CD-ROM or the coursebook. To receive certification, students must attend a proctored exam and successfully pass with a 75 percent or higher. MRA members receive a 25% discount on ServSafe® training products ordered through the MRA office.

We will offer a ServSafe® Instructor Train-the-Trainer course on a monthly basis beginning in January. In the meantime, if you are experiencing difficulty in certifying your staff, give us a call at (800) 968-9668. We can help you train your own staff on a regular basis.

The following programs have been approved by the Michigan Department of Agriculture to provide certification education:

• ServSafe® National Restaurant Association
• Cornell/FMI Food Protection Certification Program
• Food Protection Training Program Dietary Managers’ Association
• Professional Food Manager’s Program NSF I’ntl (with Experior Assessment exam)

Successful completion of any of the above classes qualifies you for a Michigan Certificate which expires in five years. The fee for this certificate is $5 per person.