Diageo : Learning Skills For Life continues to expand in North America

Diageo North America, in partnership with the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute (NOCHI), celebrated this week the completion of the first official 'Learning Skills for Life' program in the city.

Over the past weeks, students received intensive training with a mix of technical and vocational skills such as bartending foundations, quality in service, and classic and local New Orleans cocktails. The program also covered other important life skills such as personal finances management, teamwork, job interview preparedness and resume development.

Launched in North America in 2014, Learning Skills for Life provides unemployed and underemployed people with free basic employability skills, specialist training and work experience within the hospitality industry. The first class began in Norwalk, Connecticut, then continued to create strategic partnerships that allowed the expansion of the program to Houston, Texas and Washington, DC.

To date, Learning Skills For Life has had over 700 participants across different cities, delivering more than 43 classes. We are proud to highlight that our graduates have experienced a 90% placement rate in internships or fulltime jobs - while our goal is that at least 80% of Learning Skills for Life graduates enter employment. Inclusion and diversity is embedded in all our programs, with 72% of female participants and 88% ethnic diversity.

From its origins in Diageo's Latin America and Caribbean markets, the Learning Skills for Life program's aim of finding talented people and supporting them to reach their full potential has already transformed the lives of over 140,000 people in 40 countries.

Developing programs in communities where we live, work and sell allows us to strengthen our business while supporting our communities.