In its ongoing efforts to address the growing demands of the restaurant and foodservice industry, the National Restaurant Association today announced a new partnership with the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) to develop the next generation of industry leaders and ensure the foodservice industry remains an industry of choice.

Through the National Restaurant Association’s eLearning platform, the WFF will provide best-in-class leadership development resources targeting the emerging leaders of the industry. Features will include certification programs, a virtual library of learning materials, and an online community for users to connect and share with industry peers.

“The restaurant and foodservice industry, currently the nation’s second-largest private sector employer of more than 13 million individuals, is projected to add another 1.3 million jobs over the next decade,” says Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “The demands of our industry are great, from increasing economic pressures, changing regulatory concerns and competition for workers. Leveraging the expertise of Women’s Foodservice Forum will allow us to enhance our efforts to address these challenges and ensure the industry’s future success.”

“Our research has shown that developing leadership skills early in your career is critical to advancing sooner,” says Fritzi Woods, president and CEO of the Women’s Foodservice Forum. “Organizations who invest in their emerging leaders see results that drive better business performance. By creating an online e-learning leadership development program and partnering with the NRA to deliver it to this audience, we have the opportunity to reach this highly under-served population in the foodservice industry. ”