Introduction to Hospitality, Housekeeping Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Programs

To apply for the programs, please call 617-542-1177 and leave a voicemail stating your interest in applying for the Introduction to Hospitality Training Program. A staff member will return your call.

BEST’s pre-apprenticeship program is called the Introduction to Hospitality, Housekeeping Pre-Apprenticeship Program. This 150 hour, six-week, full time pre-apprenticeship program, trains participants for positions in hotel housekeeping departments. The related classroom instruction includes components such as hands-on skills training in a model hotel room, ergonomics, chemical safety and blood-borne pathogens, cross-cultural communication skills, customer service, professionalism, computer skills, interview skills, hotel branding and job shadowing. Upon completion, participants work with career coaches on their job search. Graduates receive a Massachusetts Department of Labor Housekeeping Pre-Apprenticeship credential. An articulation agreement between Bunker Hill Community College and BEST awards 9 college credits to pre-apprentice graduates pursuing a hospitality certificate or associates degree upon completion of their prior learning assessment portfolio.

Housekeeping Apprenticeship: Graduates of BEST’s pre-apprenticeship program seek hotel housekeeping positions in partner hotels. Many of BEST’s hotel partners are signatory employers to the UNITE HERE Local 26 collective bargaining agreement, but not all. Upon hire, graduates begin their on the job training 2,000-hour apprenticeship. BEST works closely with the hotels and the graduates during the apprenticeship. Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, graduates earn a nationally recognized certification from the Massachusetts Department of Labor and 3 additional credits at Bunker Hill Community College. 

The next Introduction to Hospitality, Housekeeping Pre-Apprenticeship will run in January 2024.

To be eligible, candidates must: 

  • Authorized to work in the United States
  • Available to attend class that meets M-F, 9 AM – 2 PM, in-person and virtual for 6 weeks.
  • Available to attend job shadowing 7 AM – 5 PM for a few days during the 6-week class.
  • Able to communicate well in English at an intermediate level.
  • Able and willing to work a rotating, flexible schedule that includes every Saturday, Sunday, and holiday.
  • Able to lift up to 50 pounds, push 250 pounds, and stand for at least 4 hours without assistance.
  • Able to pass an employer background and drug test.
  • Able to begin work immediately upon graduation.

Please watch our information session here to learn more.

2023 Cycle Dates

  • Cycle 1: January 6 – February 17
  • Cycle 2: March 3 – April 14
  • Cycle 3: April 28 – June 9
  • Cycle 4: July 10 – August 18
Mel King Empowerment Program
The Mel King Empowerment Program (MKEP) is a diversity-hiring initiative aimed at increasing the number of  African Americans employed in quality hotel jobs. All U.S. born African Americans enrolled in our Introduction to Hospitality Training Program are part of the MKEP. The Program is named after Mel King, a community organizer, writer, former adjunct professor at MIT and advocate for Boston’s neighborhoods and less-advantaged families.