Restaurants & Food/Beverage Services Pathway
Is your student a leader with a can-do attitude? Do they love whipping up delicious new dishes? Then a career in restaurant and food & beverage services may be a good fit!
Strong leadership is a cornerstone of any successful food service venture. Students in this pathway learn to perform a variety of tasks to maintain operations and promote guest services in eating and drinking establishments.
Gain real-world skills through project-based learning.
K12 Career Prep* has implemented project-based learning (PBL) to hone students’ problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, and team collaboration skills. The curriculum in this pathway includes culinary arts, restaurant management, food production, and marketing and is taught by experienced professionals from the business world.
A Closer Look at the Curriculum
All our students take the core courses required for high school graduation in their state. The chart below shows the additional classes that students in the Restaurants & Food/Beverage Services Pathway take. You can see the rest of the curriculum by viewing the full course list.
CAREER EXPLORATION COURSES
These courses provide an opportunity for students
to gain insight into
potential careers.
CAREER FOUNDATION COURSES
These courses are building blocks that prepare students for more specialized pathway courses.
CAREER PREPARATION COURSES
These courses prepare students for industry-recognized certification exams.
OPTIONAL CAREER LEARNING COURSES
While not required, these courses provide an opportunity for students to gain knowledge and skills that are useful in their chosen careers.
Hospitality and Tourism 1
Introduction to Restaurant Management
OR
Hotel and Restaurant Management
Food Safety with
ServSafe Certification
Culinary Arts 1
Culinary Arts 2
Culinary Arts 3: Baking and Pastry
Food Technology
Introduction to Management 1
Management: Insight and Oversight
Note: Pathway courses are subject to change.
Get credentialed.
In a world where competition for jobs, pay increases, and academic success continues to increase, certifications provide a credible, third-party assessment of a student’s skills and knowledge of a given subject. Students in this pathway can prepare to take these industry-recognized certification exams:**
EMPLOYMENT READY CERTIFICATIONS
These certifications indicate students have acquired the skills needed to perform a job with little or no support.
ServSafe Food Handler Certification
Get ahead of the competition.
We encourage students to jumpstart their job search by helping them create a professional résumé, cover letter, and profile on Tallo, the leading professional networking platform for Gen Z. Plus, they connect virtually to working education professionals through Nepris.***
Find a school near you that offers the Restaurants & Food/Beverage Services Pathway.
K12 Career Prep programs with the Restaurants & Food/Beverage Services Pathway are available at tuition-free, K12-powered, public online schools in the following states:
There are also tuition-free options in related fields like the Hotel & Lodging Pathway!
Choose a career. Prepare for the future.
Students in this pathway can prepare for a wide variety of food and beverage careers, including:
Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages. They supervise staff, handle any disputes with customers, order ingredients and supplies, schedule staff, and manage budgets and payroll records. Work on nights and weekends is often required.
2021 Median Salary
$59,440
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Faster than average
Typical Entry-Level Education
High school diploma
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit bls.gov/ooh/management/food-service-managers.htm.
Chefs and head cooks oversee the daily food preparation at restaurants, hotels, and other food service establishments. They often work early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays. The work can be hectic and fast-paced. Some attend a culinary program at a community college, technical school, culinary arts school, or four-year college. Others learn through apprenticeship programs.
2021 Median Salary
$50,160
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Much faster than average
Typical Entry-Level Education
High school diploma or equivalent
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/chefs-and-head-cooks.htm.
Food and beverage servers and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.
2021 Median Salary
$25,980
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Much faster than average
Typical Entry-Level Education
No formal educational credential
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/food-and-beverage-serving-and-related-workers.htm.
FAQs
No. However, you will need several years of experience working in a restaurant and demonstrated leadership abilities. Our Restaurants & Food/Beverage Services Pathway is great training for a career as a restaurant manager; students learn about marketing, culinary arts, restaurant management, and food and beverage handling, which come in handy when running a restaurant!
Take electives like marketing, management, and culinary arts in high school. You can also get a job washing dishes, on the wait staff, or as a host at a restaurant near you. Most restaurant managers have experience working in a variety of restaurant jobs, so starting in high school can be a good stepping-stone.
Learn more about course offerings in other career fields.
Business Management & Administration
Criminal Justice & Community Services
Education & Training
Engineering & Manufacturing
Health Sciences
Hospitality & Tourism
Information Technology (IT)
Marketing
Visual Arts & Communications
*K12 Career Prep is a program for grades 9–12. Some schools offer career exploration in middle school.
**Many Microsoft®️ Office certificates can be earned after completing one course. Other certificates require more classes to be better prepared, and students who participate in the program for at least two years will have further preparation for certification testing.
***Opportunities vary by school; please visit your school page or check with your school counselor.