Maine hospitality industry plans free culinary training

A state grant to fund training opportunities for 125 students interested in working in the culinary field is part of an effort to overcome a labor shortage in the hospitality industry.

The $44,000 grant from Maine Quality Centers, a program of the Maine Community College System, was announced Monday at the Hospitality Maine annual summit at Sugarloaf ski resort.

The money will let students enrolled in apprenticeships at Maine community colleges take free online courses through a cloud-based program led by Washington County Community College and Hospitality Maine.

“Now you get to receive online training and get a job at all of our restaurants across the state, from Millinocket to York,” Terry Hayes, Hospitality Maine director of workforce development, said in a news release. “The service area is very broad, this is exactly what we need.”