Press release
Marriott International and University of Maryland SAFE Center Announce Nationwide Rollout of Hospitality Training Curriculum for Survivors of Trafficking
BETHESDA, Md., July 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, Marriott International and the University
About this update from Marriott International
[{"type":"text","content":"BETHESDA, Md., July 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, Marriott International and the University of Maryland Support, Advocacy, Freedom, and Empowerment Center for Human Trafficking Survivors (the SAFE Center) today announced the nationwide expansion of Future in Training (FiT) Curriculum that seeks to equip survivors of human trafficking interested in embarking on careers in hospitality with necessary information and resources. The national rollout will span 11 metropolitan areas throughout the continental United States and is expected to train up to 150 survivors by July 2024.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \nRecognizing that trafficking survivors face many barriers in their search for education and employment, Marriott co-developed the FiT Curriculum in collaboration with the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS) in 2018. Designed with input from survivor consultants and field experts, the FiT Curriculum provides trauma-informed job readiness training for survivors interested in hospitality careers. The training program consists of seven modules that focus on hospitality and teach foundational knowledge useful in any industry, including presentation skills, teamwork, time management, relationship building, and interviewing basics.\n\"Marriott has a longstanding commitment to empower through opportunity and create pathways to career growth,\" said Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International. \"We are proud to expand our commitment to survivors of human trafficking and deepen our anti-trafficking efforts. This curriculum helps fill a market-based need for trained talent and offers survivors access to skills-based training and meaningful careers in the hospitality industry. We look forward to expanding our support to the SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors as it scales the FiT Curriculum nationwide.\"\nThe initiative builds on Marriott and GFEMS's successful pilot of the FiT Curriculum implemented by the SAFE Center for Human Trafficking and three other service providers in Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; and New York, New York in 2022. More than 60 survivors were trained in the pilot and post-curriculum survey responses indicated an increase in knowledge of all topics, confidence in skills and abilities, and a 97% sati...