Chipotle is expanding its apprentice program

Chipotle Mexican Grill is expanding its apprentice program with a goal of having the role in every restaurant by the end of 2027. The company said the approximately 75% of restaurants that already have this position in place generate stronger operational scores than those do not.

The apprentice position serves as a pipeline to the general manager role, and provides additional coverage during peak periods and weekends. Apprentices allow general managers to distribute responsibilities more effectively and improve digital execution and consistency, the company said.

Chipotle has leveraged the apprentice manager pipeline program since 2016 when it partnered with Guild Education to create more opportunities for employees to earn college credits and pursue degrees. By 2020, apprentices were completing six weeks of training and Chipotle reported a 77% internal-promotion rate into apprentice positions. Now, more than 85% of Chipotle's restaurant managers began their careers as crew members, and the company is enhancing the apprentice program to bolster that number even more as it works toward a 7,000-unit pipeline across the U.S. and Canada.

"Every crew member we hire has the potential to become a future restaurant leader,” Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer Ilene Eskenazi said in a statement. "Developing leaders from within allows us to create meaningful careers for our people while ensuring every restaurant is led by someone who understands our culture and our commitment to exceptional guest experiences."

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Cultivate Education in partnership with Guild, and the program has become a cornerstone of Chipotle's leadership and development strategy. Since 2016, nearly 25,000 Chipotle employees have enrolled in an education program, more than 14,000 employees have completed an education program, and 57% of graduates earned a college degree, while 43% earned a certificate.

Chipotle also reports that employees enrolled in Cultivate Education experience a 66% lower average annual turnover rate than non-participating peers and are promoted approximately 1.4 times as often.

The expansion of the apprentice program comes as the industry experiences a volatile labor market. The foodservice industry experienced job losses in both June and July, for example, but rebounded to plus-59,000 in August.

It also comes as more chains, including Cava and Starbucks, add assistant managers or similar positions to improve guest experiences and operations amid a muted traffic environment.