The pipeline from school to graduation to stepping foot into the workforce is never linear. The world we live in is a constant bombardment of networking, Glass Door postings and LinkedIn connections with budding social media influencers and corporate ladder climbers alike. There’s no denying the influx of resources that help people find jobs, but what about learning the practical skills to get there?
Intuit Inc., the global financial technology platform you may recognize from pulling out the Turbo Tax disc to file your yearly taxes, has created an innovative and exciting solution to this gap in high school education. After learning about the lack of personal finance courses in high school curriculum and the lack of kitchen space in most culinary programs — namely in school districts with low-income communities — Intuit launched a food truck program. Intuit began selecting schools on the basis of two criteria: “economic need and diversity of student body,” says Dave Zasada, vice president of Education and Corporate Responsibility at Intuit.
Most recently, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) kicked off the new year by celebrating its new Intuit Food Truck. Like a true business model, each truck is fully equipped with a commercial-grade kitchen, while students and educators gain entrepreneurial curriculum, beginning with marketing and accounting resources. The culinary flair of world-renowned chef and L.A. native Roy Choi graced Maywood Academy High School, marking the fourth of six food truck launches. Connecting with youth to improve and broaden the scope of career and technical education programs for students has been a longtime passion project for Choi. After starting his Kogi food trucks, often found in Inglewood, Compton and Watts, Choi worked with South L.A. teens to open a healthy café. Choi’s connection to street food culture and his belief in empowering youth are invaluable aspects of this Intuit partnership.
The beauty of Intuit’s food truck program lies in the engaging integration of classroom material and the responsibilities of real-world careers. During the work day, students might not be sitting at their desks and heeding instructions, but they are drumming up menu ideas, formulating recipes and fulfilling food orders. The students are also developing the tech-savvy skills to take those orders. Intuit equips students with QuickBooks Online and the GOPayment Point of Sale app, which are commonly used software tools for accounting and receiving payment. With this business model, everyone can get involved. “Beyond the culinary instruction, graphic design students can design menus and the wrapping of the truck,” Zasada says. “Accounting and finance students have the opportunity to help the culinary arts students manage business finances…” Automotive students handle the logistics of operating a vehicle, as they routinely maintain and repair the trucks.
As the festivities of the food truck launch come to a close, Maywood Academy High School students gear up to bring their business ideas into fruition. They’ve always been ready, but now with the support of Intuit and Chef Choi, the students have the adequate resources to meet their boundless potential.
Learn more about Intuit’s food truck programs here.
