ManageFirst® Program | Work Ready on Day One
The ManageFirst® Program, created by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and managed nationally by National Restaurant Association Solutions, is a management development program that equips students with the key competencies they need to begin or advance their management careers in our demanding industry. ManageFirst has been adopted by more than 350 colleges and universities and in a variety of restaurant and foodservice companies.
A competency-based program created with input from industry leaders.
The ManageFirst Program was created to address the needs voiced by industry members and educators. To ensure the program’s topics were on target, we worked with more than 400 academics, operators, trainers, hiring managers and executives to conduct an 18-month Job Task Analysis and identify the competencies essential to a manager’s success.
The ManageFirst ProgramTM is relevant, comprehensive and flexible.
The program is easy to implement in a variety of settings. Program components include textbooks covering 10 key topics, corresponding exams and certificates, and ManageFirst Professional® credential (MFPTM), which demonstrates a mastery of competencies to future employers. ServSafe® and ServSafe Alcohol® are also a part of the program.
To learn more about the program, simply click on the appropriate link below.
Program Overview
Flexible to meet the needs of academic and corporate training situations.
Program participants receive industry-respected training that prepares them to confidently lead our ever-growing industry. This management program teaches practical competencies needed to face real-world challenges in the industry, including interpersonal communication, ethics, accounting skills and more.
The ManageFirst Program is designed to be highly flexible
- The program can be utilized in both an academic and industry training setting
- Instructors can easily incorporate the ManageFirst Program into their current lesson plans or training programs
- Select program components can be used as standalone training or to supplement a class or an entire curriculum
Program Topics and Exams
The ManageFirst Program topics are broken down into four Core Credential Topics and eight Elective Topics, with an exam specific to each topic. Students earn a certificate for each exam they pass.
ManageFirst Professional® (MFP) Credential
The MFP credential recognizes students as having the academic and practical knowledge they need to succeed in the restaurant, foodservice, and hospitality industries.
To earn the MFP credential, students must:
- Pass four Core Credential exams and one Elective exam
- Provide documentation for 800 hours of unpaid or paid industry work experience