Spring HospitAbilities Tested Over 80 Students for Certification

On April 14, the Oklahoma Restaurant Association (ORA) and Oklahoma Hotel and Lodging Association (OHLA) members volunteered to test over 80 students from six technology centers around the state to receive their HospitAbilities Oklahoma Hospitality Certification.
 
"HospitAbilities is a certification for students who may not thrive in a traditional classroom setting. We want to provide a skillset and a place to work for all students that have physical or intellectual disabilities,” said Roberta Helsley, ORA Manager of Education. “Regardless of what your gifts and talents are, there is a place for you in the hospitality industry.”

This certification is a customized curriculum designed to teach industry-approved competencies and jobsite skills to students interested in working in hospitality. HospitAbilities is a collaboration between the ORA, OHLA, and Career Tech.  Francis Tuttle Technology Center is the host site to implement the program.
 
Schools and volunteer evaluators from all across Oklahoma visited Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City to test for the certification, including: Canadian Valley Technology Center in El Reno, Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City, Eastern Oklahoma County (EOC) Technology Center in Choctaw, Great Plains Technology Center in Lawton, Metro Technology Centers in Oklahoma City and Pioneer Technology Center in Ponca City. Volunteer evaluators tested each student without prior knowledge of their background. Waterford Renaissance, Vanwey Dining- Tinker Air Force Base, Career Tech, Colcord Hotel, Embassy Suites Northwest, United Linen & Uniform Services, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, and the Oklahoma Restaurant Association provided volunteers who professionally evaluated each student on April 14.
 
“As the hospitality industry continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic, employers are facing many challenges, one of them being labor shortages,” Helsley said. “The certification program provides a solution to this challenge and at the same time creates a dynamic work environment.” 
 
The next HospitAbilities certification day will be in the Fall of 2022.
 
The HospitAbilities certification is the first of its kind in the hospitality industry. Already, the ORA and OHLA have helped assist many certified students become professionals. The program continues to be evaluated and improved based on the industry’s needs and trends.
 
HospitAbilities is proud to include Auto-Chlor System, Bryan Close, Oklahoma Natural Gas, and United Linen & Uniform Services as partners in the program.