Restaurants, hotels and other hospitality businesses need you.
The N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association today will kick off a campaign aimed at encouraging people to consider careers in the industry.
As the economy recovers, consumers will increase spending on dining, drinking and vacations. The industry will need to fill thousands of positions across the state, said association president Paul Stone.
The National Restaurant Association estimates that the industry will need to fill 332,000 jobs nationwide by 2014.
Statewide, the industry employs about 700,000 people, although its mostly steady growth streak stopped last year as restaurants and hotels cut jobs or closed during the downturn.
"Our industry, historically, is going to be more stable than almost any other," Stone said in a phone interview. "We're trying to curb the mindset that these aren't 'real' jobs."
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