Statewide, 238 Michigan residents have graduated from the first 2024 cohort of the Hospitality Training Institute of Michigan’s Business Management course. This 12-week course taught students business and leadership skills that will help them establish a lifelong career and become leaders in Michigan’s hospitality industry.
Below is a breakdown of graduates from across the state:
- 15 graduates from Ann Arbor
- 10 graduates from Downtown Detroit
- 44 graduates from Grand Rapids
- 14 graduates from Flint/Saginaw
- 24 graduates from Frankenmuth
- 19 graduates from Gaylord
- 13 graduates from Kalamazoo
- 28 graduates from Lansing
- 11 graduates from Macomb/St. Clair
- 7 graduates from Marquette
- 12 graduates from Muskegon
- 14 graduates from Oakland County
- 21 graduates from Traverse City
- 6 graduates from Wayne County
“We are incredibly proud of every person who graduated this quarter and the support from Michigan restaurant and lodging employers who supported their employees through this program,” said Justin Winslow, president of the Hospitality Institute of Michigan. “These students have worked hard to hone their skills so that they can not only further their career in the industry, but to better serve customers, clients and the team they work with.”
Upon graduation, participants earned nationally recognized certifications including ServSafe Manager certifications, national Hospitality Supervisor certifications, as well as unconscious bias, mental health and sexual harassment trainings and more. Previously, HTIM piloted this program to about 100 students and with the support of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, expanded the program to reach additional Michiganders looking for a rewarding and high-paying career.
“The HTIM course gave me the tools I needed to re-evaluate our hospitality department and inspired me to strengthen our organization with the knowledge I gained,” said Victoria Churchill, hospitality manager at Woldumar Nature Center. “And most of all I loved getting to connect with others who had similar goals to me in the industry. It was insightful, inspiring and overall, a wonderful opportunity to grow as professionals in the hospitality industry.”
More than 450,000 Michiganders work in the restaurant and lodging industry – making this industry the state’s second largest private employer. As an integral part of Michigan’s economy, the HTIM program provides an avenue for employees to grow and develop in hospitality, building a stronger workforce here in Michigan. HTIM will continue to offer this $2,500 course for free to the first 2,000 registrants, in addition to providing a $500 stipend to every successful graduate.
Interested students and employers are encouraged to register for future classes or find more information about the HTIM Hospitality Business Management course at HTIM.com/stepup.
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