In October of 2023, the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA), launched an omnichannel hospitality recruitment campaign called Serving Careers. Funded by a $5 million grant from the state’s portion of the American Rescue Plan, the plan highlights the valuable skills that can be learned working in the hospitality industry and the diverse career path available.

The campaign’s target audience is largely entry- and mid-level candidates. It also targets employers with content to help with hiring and retention. In the past eight months, Serving Careers has shown an impressive impact on attracting hospitality employees to the state as a whole and more specifically the Fayetteville MSA.

How Serving Careers impacts Cumberland County:

- 634 open hospitality positions currently

- 36,428 application starts since the start of the campaign

How Serving Careers impacts Harnett:

- 124 open hospitality positions currently

- 1,940 application starts since the start of the campaign

How Serving Careers impacts Hoke:

- 23 open hospitality positions currently

- 413 application starts since the start of the campaign

“For us, these application starts support our firm belief that there is something for everyone within hospitality. Be it a part-time job with flexibility or a lifelong career, there is so much to be gained from a job in your local restaurant or hotel,” said Lynn Minges, President and CEO of NCRLA. “To see such tremendous interest throughout the Serving Careers campaign is a huge win for not only the restaurant and lodging businesses but for our entire state.”

Serving Careers celebrates the new generation of hospitality leaders who embody innovation, hard work, and service in North Carolina’s 33-billion-dollar hospitality industry. 
Currently, there are more than 19,000 active hospitality job postings in NC. 

Find out more about the Serving Careers effort and recent success stories on the campaign’s website https://servingcareers.com/.