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Colorado ProStart®

Training tomorrow’s industry leaders

Colorado ProStart® is a high school hospitality education program of the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, Colorado Restaurant Association, and the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. The program offers a restaurant/hospitality management, culinary arts, and business economics curriculum to juniors and seniors, and provides high school and college academic credit, scholarships, and paid work experience opportunities for students.

Colorado ProStart® currently serves hundreds of students at 40 high schools across the state. The program provides high school and college academic credit through Metropolitan State University of Denver, ProStart Post-Secondary Passport, scholarships, and employment opportunities.

“I hired a Colorado ProStart graduate who worked with us at the last Denver Food + Wine Festival as a volunteer, and had a very good experience.  She applied to an on-line post, I immediately knew who she was, invited her to interview, offered her a pastry position, and she accepted. It’s nice that it came full circle.” – Beth Ginsberg, CRA Board of Directors and owner of Trompeau Bakery + Cafe

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Learn Through Hands-On Experience

By bringing industry into the classroom, Colorado ProStart® gives students a platform to discover new career opportunities through hands-on training and industry experience.

The curriculum includes all facets of the industry, setting a high standard of excellence for students and industry. By completing ProStart® Level I and II, students master fundamental management and culinary skills needed for success – like leadership, accountability, teamwork, and responsibility – which they can take with them to positions in all industries.

Learn From Industry Experts

While classroom experience is necessary to learn foundational culinary and management skills, nothing beats real-life experience gained by working in the industry. Under the direction of an industry mentor, ProStart® students make the connection between classroom academics and industry work experience.

Richard Schneider is a proud Colorado business owner and the 2021 Colorado ProStart® Mentor of the Year. Here, he shares his thoughts on the importance of the program:

Colorado ProStart® Scholarships Pave the Way to Post-Secondary Opportunities

The CRF wants to put ProStart® students on the path towards achieving their dreams. Through a variety of partner organizations and individuals in the industry, we offer scholarships to our graduating Colorado ProStart® students.

Help fund our scholarships

For questions about Colorado ProStart®:

Call or email Ruby Geiger, CRF Career Pathways Coordinator.

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Thanks to the CRA and CRF Preferred Providers

Thanks to the CRA and CRF Partners for their support

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