To help overcome underrepresentation in the tourism industry, Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission are partnering with Tourism Diversity Matters, an industry resource for diversity expertise, to launch the Diversity Apprenticeship Program (DAP).
The Diversity Apprenticeship Program will help close the significant racial equity gap in the Central Ohio hospitality community by providing hands-on experience and job opportunities to local students, recent graduates and professionals who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color) and have a passion for tourism. In 2020, nearly 28% of Columbus hospitality employees identified as Black, Asian American, or Hispanic, while 73% identified as white, according to a study by Tourism Economics.