People of color still remain underrepresented in the travel and hospitality industry.
In an effort to lower barriers to accessing careers in the industry, Choose Chicago, United Airlines and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) are collaborating on the first Events Track apprenticeship for 2023 – 2024 in partnership with Tourism Diversity Matters (TDM). United Airlines will contribute funding for this Apprenticeship Program and PCMA has committed to full time employment, benefiting one lucky candidate selected to complete this competitive program.
“The future of Chicago’s tourism and hospitality industry depends on connecting promising young talent to fulfilling careers,” said Lynn Osmond, President and CEO of Choose Chicago. “This apprenticeship program is one of the ways that we are working to establish a pipeline of talented young people who want to work in events, hotels, restaurants, or other tourism-adjacent businesses. I encourage all of our partners to invest in workforce development, and lead by example by committing resources to career exploration and internship opportunities.”
“At TDM, we are passionate about creating equitable opportunities for everyone to succeed in their chosen career,” said Greg DeShields, TDM Executive Director. “We are thrilled to partner with Choose Chicago, United Airlines, and PCMA on the apprenticeship program. This program is an important step towards creating a more diverse and inclusive industry.”
The apprentice will gain 600 hours of experience working at Choose Chicago, PCMA and United Airlines, receive a monthly stipend, paid travel expenses, and job placement upon successful completion of the program.
“The PCMA Foundation is passionate about powering the future of the global business events industry,” said Sherrif Karamat, CAE, PCMA and CEMA President and CEO. “Providing a future leader with access to the amazing teams and experiences at Choose Chicago, PCMA and United Airlines is the foundation for a journey full of possibilities and transformation with access and exposure to this wonderful industry.”
As a global airline focused on connecting people, United works to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture to reflect the communities in which they work, live and fly–whether in Chicago or around the world.
“We’re proud to partner with Choose Chicago again this year and support their EDI Apprenticeship Program to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace,” says Glenn Hollister, Vice President, Sales Strategy and Effectiveness at United Airlines. “This collaboration is just one example of how we take action to build equitable access to careers in aviation.”
The apprentice will receive invaluable experience planning a large scale event and also be exposed to local stakeholders, clients and community partners.
“I’m glad to see this partnership with United Airlines and PCMA continue after a successful launch last year,” said Glenn Eden, Chairman of the Choose Chicago Board of Directors. “I hope that programs like this will help to bring about a future where the diversity of Chicago’s communities is authentically reflected in the leadership of our local hospitality industry.”
For more information and to learn how to apply for the Apprenticeship Program visit the Choose Chicago website.
Any thoughts, opinions, or news? Please share them with me at vince@meetingsevents.com.
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
