According to the Brewer’s Association, blacks make up only 1% of the brewers in the country. Now the city of Baltimore is working with Irish brewer Guinness to develop a new program that will add diversity to the beer industry.
Visit Baltimore, in partnership with the Guinness Open Gate Brewery, announced its new diversity education program to train the new crop of aspiring brewers. The program was launched through the Guinness Gives Back Baltimore Fund to lead the program for the next five years and create new career paths in hospitality for marginalized groups.
“Visit Baltimore is humble about the Guinness Open Gate Brewery’s investment in our Diversity Apprenticeship Program,” said Al Hutchinson, President and CEO of Visit Baltimore, in a press release BLACK COMPANY.
“Due to the financial impact of COVID-19, we could not revive this important program without the generous support of Guinness. The partnership will enable us to provide career growth opportunities for local colored people and people from communities that have historically been under-represented in the travel and tourism industries. The program provides unparalleled experience working with a target marketing organization and global brand. We look forward to officially launching this program in 2021. ”
The 600 hour training program guarantees all graduates employment upon completion of the program through Visit Baltimore or a partner organization through the recruitment company Searchwide Global. The program is only for BIPOC applicants who live in the greater Baltimore area.
“Our team has spent months looking for ways to get the most out of these funds, consulting local advisors, and creating a strategic framework to advance them as neighbors and advocates of change in the Baltimore area that has significant impact and sustained support the Black Community, ”said Jennifer Hudson, director of the Diageo Beer Company, according to the Associated Press.
“Guinness has always been made of more, and being the home of Guinness in America, real return policies are in our DNA. The Baltimore area has welcomed our team since the Guinness Gates opened two years ago, and we are honored to support such causes in the struggle for justice. “