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Order up! NCRLA spotlights the vast menu of employment opportunities within NC’s hospitality industry.
A driving force for the state’s economy, NC’s hospitality industry makes up a whopping 9% (or ~450,000 employees) of the workforce—but staffing remains a struggle post-pandemic. Enter the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Serving Careers campaign.
To highlight the distinctive and advantageous characteristics of a career in hospitality, the campaign aims to connect and attract people seeking opportunities in the industry via stories from real NC employees. And, clearly, NC’ers are inspired, as the campaign has already netted 300,000 applications (!) since its October launch—and momentum keeps growing.
Workers from all backgrounds—from mixologists to hotel managers—curate personal stories and successes to highlight various positions and hopefully motivate more apps. See local hospitality veteran Scott Crawford, who details his ascent from busser to chef/owner of his Triangle-based trio JBFA-nominated Crawford & Son, Jolie and Crawford Cookshop—with at least three more concepts in the works for 2024.
“Every story showcases how unique a career in hospitality can be,” says NCRLA President and CEO Lynn Minges. And with over 20,000 restaurants and hotels across NC, industry career paths and opportunities are widely diversified and accessible.
The campaign’s website stresses that “hospitality is what you make it,” and “it doesn’t matter what school you went to, what kind of car you drive, or what streaming apps you’ve got. We simply want you to come as you are—and know that who you are is exactly right for the job.”
So while you may overlook that barista, waitress or bellboy, know that the importance of these seemingly small positions pull a big weight—and come with a massive amount of respect and responsibility. And who knows? It just might be your turn to “find your next adventure.”
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