Those who have attended a culinary arts program may be poised to find work this year, after a new report found that the restaurant industry is expected to outpace national job growth through 2012.
According to the National Restaurant Association's 2012 Restaurant Industry Forecast, total industry sales are expected to reach a record high this year, with a 3.5 percent increase over 2011.
In addition, the report found that the restaurant industry will continue to add jobs in the year ahead as the nation's second largest private sector employer with employment reaching 12.9 million workers.
"We expect the nation's nearly one million restaurants to post sales of $632 billion this year," said Dawn Sweeney, president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association. "Combine that with the fact that restaurant job growth is expected to outpace the overall economy for the 13th straight year, and it's clear that the restaurant industry is once again proving to be a significant economic stimulant and strong engine for job creation."
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment opportunities for chefs, head cooks and food preparation and serving supervisors are expected to grow by 6 percent through 2018.
