From Training to a Dream Job: Serena and Diana on CAN TV

CEO Serena Alaily returned to Chicago Newsroom 2.0, this time alongside Food Services Employment Training Program graduate Diana, to share what can happen when talent meets opportunity.

When Serena Alaily first joined CAN TV to talk about Aspire’s new Food Service Employment Training Program, the first cohort was just getting started.

This time, she returned with someone who could tell the story firsthand.

Diana, a graduate of Aspire’s first Food Service Employment Training Program cohort, joined Serena on Chicago Newsroom 2.0 to talk about what she learned, the confidence she built, and where all that hard work has led her.

For Diana, it led somewhere she had dreamed about since she was a little girl: a career in food service.

Learning by Doing

Throughout the program, Diana and her classmates spent 10 weeks building hands-on skills in a simulated restaurant environment before moving into eight-week paid internships where they could continue learning on the job.

Diana told CAN TV that working as part of a team was one of her favorite parts of the experience. She also proudly showed off some of the knowledge she gained around food safety, including how different colored cutting boards help prevent cross-contact and keep customers with food allergies safe.

Those lessons came together during Powered by Pasta, a three-course mock restaurant experience that gave the first cohort an opportunity to put their skills into action.

Trainees helped create the menu, prepare food, serve guests, and clear tables. For Serena, however, something else stood out.

“When you give people a chance, talent like Diana’s really shine through.”

By the end of the 10 weeks, Serena saw people who had entered the program as individuals transform into a team.

Turning Practice Into Possibility

The hands-on learning in the classroom was only the beginning.

During her conversation with CAN TV, Diana shared that hands-on practice helped her feel more confident about finding a job. Moving into a real restaurant gave her another opportunity to keep learning, practicing, and strengthening those skills.

And when she was asked what she liked most about restaurant work, Diana’s answer was simple:

“That’s my dream job.”

Today, that dream is becoming a reality.

After working hard in school, completing Aspire’s training, and earning an internship, Diana shared that she now has the job she had been working toward.

More Than a Finish Line

Diana’s story also points to something bigger.

As Serena explained during the conversation, an internship is not meant to be the finish line. The goal is to give people who are passionate about food service opportunities to turn their interests and abilities into lasting careers.

It is also an opportunity for employers to meet talented, hardworking people who are ready to contribute.

Serena discussed that far too often, barriers begin with misconceptions about what people with disabilities can and cannot do.

And Diana is helping to challenge those assumptions by simply showing what she can do, and her message to others was even more powerful:

“Do not let anyone say you can’t do it because you can. I did it, and so can you.”

Diana’s words encourage others to keep their heads up, continue working toward their goals, and never give up on their dreams.

What Comes Next

Diana may be part of Aspire’s first Food Service Employment Training Program cohort, but she will not be the last.

A second cohort is preparing to start, creating another opportunity for people with disabilities who are interested in food service to develop their skills and prepare for careers in the industry. Aspire is also looking for more restaurants and businesses that are ready to be part of that opportunity.

For Diana, the possibilities that started in a training kitchen have already reached far beyond it.

She practiced. She learned. She worked alongside her teammates. She earned an internship.

And now, she gets to say something she has been working toward for years:

She has her dream job.

Watch Diana and Serena’s full conversation on CAN TV’s Chicago Newsroom 2.0 to hear Diana tell her story in her own words and learn what’s next for Aspire’s Food Service Employment Training Program.

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