This post brought to you by National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The content and opinions expressed below are that of WebProNews.

The U.S. labor market is getting stronger, and the restaurant industry is leading the way. It’s providing jobs, upward mobility, and long-term career opportunities and security to employees.

The National Restaurant Association of America Educational Foundation has compiled some interesting statistics in the following infographic, which show not only how important the restaurant industry is to the U.S. economy, but also how the industry is a place where lasting, rewarding careers can be built.

The restaurant industry has outpaced the overall U.S. economy in job growth for the past 14 years, and it’s on target to do it again in 2014. It’s clear that people never get tired of eating out. You can take comfort in the fact that by doing so, you’re supporting jobs and a healthy economy.

The projected size of the restaurant industry workforce in 2014 is 13.5 million people, which is about one in ten working Americans. The median tenure of employees in restaurant manager and business operation positions is 20 years.

More than nine out of ten restaurant employees (from supervisors and chefs to servers and dishwashers) say the restaurant industry is a good place to get a first job. It’s certainly one of the easiest industries to break into at a young age.

An Industry of Opportunity:

Image via National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation