How On-Campus Food Options Influence Student Retention in Trade Schools
Trade schools are excellent places to launch a career. With a direct path from their education to the workforce, students at these schools have a clear objective of what they want to accomplish. With the right support, these students can hit the ground running and build a career that will last a lifetime.
That support can come in many forms, including offering excellent on-campus food options. With the help of InReach, your campus can feature a diverse selection of food and beverage choices that will keep students fueled up and ready to thrive. Turn to InReach today to learn more.
Proper Nutrition Is Vital for Trade School Students
There is a close connection between proper nutrition and success in the classroom. Sure, plenty of other factors come into play, but students who have their nutritional needs met throughout the day are in a better position than those who do not.
This holds true for all types of students, but it might be even more important in the trade school setting. It’s common for trade school students to be juggling many responsibilities in life while getting their education. They may be adult learners who have jobs to consider and families to care for. Or they could be younger students who are just finding their way in the world and are trying to keep up with coursework, hands-on training, and more. The demands are many, and falling behind on nutrition can make each day feel like an uphill battle.
Three Big Benefits of Great On-Campus Food Services
Given the need for proper nutrition and the lack of time that many students face, offering food on campus is a big step in the right direction. Such services, when executed correctly, offer several benefits, including:
- Convenience: This is the big one, of course. Students are far more likely to get something to eat during their school day if there are quality food options readily available in a vending machine or micro market. Some will plan ahead and bring food from home, but others will just go through their day without eating if nothing is available on campus that suits their needs.
- Maintaining Focus: Making it through a trade school program is cognitively demanding. There is a lot of new material to consume and only so much time available to absorb that material while keeping up with the pace of the course. Proper nutrition supports focus and will make it easier for students to stay on track to complete the program with flying colors.
- Community: The nature of a typical trade school—where no one lives on campus—can make it difficult to build a strong community that supports one another. Good on-campus food is one way to foster community growth. When students enjoy the food that is available, they’ll naturally gather around the food service areas on campus to have something to eat and to chat with others.
Finding a Custom Solution
It’s easy to lump all trade schools (or even all schools) under the same umbrella. In reality, however, all of these institutions have their own unique traits and characteristics. If food and beverage services are going to meet your expectations, they need to be customized to align with your goals and the restrictions or limitations that are in place. A partner like InReach is perfect for this project because we can build a custom program that gets the best possible value out of every dollar that is invested.
Help Your Students Reach Their Goals
Everyone wins when the students on your campus have what they need to succeed. When students thrive, they’ll be more likely to stick with their program and see it through to the finish line. That positions them for an exciting new career, and it speaks well of the programs your trade school offers. Upgrade your on-campus food options right away to put one more piece of the success puzzle in place.
Proudly part of Sodexo, InReach offers global reach, customized attention, and a large, growing buying network that keeps food costs low and quality high. Contact us today to learn more.