About
The Hospitality Training Academy (HTA) is a 501(c)(3) Taft-Hartley/labor-management partnership between UNITE HERE Local 11 and its contributing employers. UNITE HERE Local 11 represents more than 30,000 members working at over 170 hospitality and food service employers in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino Counties and the state of Arizona.
Our mission is to build a strong workforce for the hospitality industry and provide well-trained workers for hospitality and food service employers throughout Southern California and Arizona.
Our vision is to help people move from poverty to economic independence through life-changing careers in the hospitality industry.
Core Values
Education
Creating innovative programs that develop workers with the skills they need to succeed.
Empowerment
Investing in people to take control of their lives through training, learning, and on-the-job experience.
Engagement
Building strong relationships to meet the needs of workers, employers, and the community.
Evolution
Adapting to changes in the industry and the workforce.
Excellence
Establishing high expectations and standards for our students and graduates.
The HTA grew out of the Hospitality Diversity Task Force, a panel of industry, community and labor leaders created by then-UNITE HERE Local 11 President Maria Elena Durazo in 2006 to promote opportunities for African American workers at major hospitality and food service employers in Los Angeles.
Since then, HTA has developed innovative job training programs, career services, and wraparound support in collaboration with community partners. In 2017, HTA launched its first nontraditional Registered Apprenticeship program for Line Cooks. Over the years, HTA has played a critical role in meeting employer staffing needs at leading hotels, food service employers, corporate cafeterias, and event venues in Southern California and the State of Arizona.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, HTA partnered with major hospitality employers, local businesses, and public entities to address urgent food insecurity. From April 2020 through November 2021, HTA helped 1,100 workers return to their jobs, preparing 4.8 million meals for homebound seniors, victims of domestic violence and trafficking, and people experiencing homelessness. Read more about this successful collaboration between labor, community, business, and government here.
Both the Los Angeles County and City Workforce Development Boards have designated HTA as the region’s Hospitality Sector Intermediary, responsible for analyzing industry trends, identifying training needs, developing workforce solutions, and coordinating sector-based partnerships.