One of the key initiatives of the Chamber’s Workforce Development Committee is to engage the business community and inspire meaningful academic partnerships. Throughout the years we’ve hosted events that bring together employers and academic institutions to better understand how they can partner to build the Tampa Bay talent pipeline.
A critical componet of workforce development is the opportunity for students to explore different industries and careers early on in life. This exposure allows them to better identify what career paths interest them and align their educational path with the required training to enter that position.
Earlier this year Junior Achievement launched the JA Inspire Virtual Career Expo; a coalition of educators and industry leaders, led by Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay. The JA Inspire Virtual Career Expo is a powerful, virtual career exploration event that, will enhance student engagement and career readiness impact and provide our educators with a viable means to expose our students to high demand career and work place opportunities. During this virtual simulation (that runs 24/7), middle and high school students will begin or continue their career exploration and gain real insights on what industries interest them, what specific jobs are like, and what education is required to do them successfully. Not all students receive career mentorship at home. For members of the Tampa Bay Chamber, this is a chance for them to build their future workforce, provide volunteer opportunities for their employees, and make a significant impact in their community. We are excited to share that JA Inspire Virtual has exposed approx. 12,000 students to nearly 100 local businesses across 13 counties in just over six months' time and we anticipate these numbers to double in the 2021-2022 school year as the program will be active for twice as long.
Junior Achievement is a local, volunteer-driven non-profit dedicated to bringing financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship education to K-12 students in the bay area. As one of the area's largest business-integrated education partners, they are looking forward to kicking off the school year with both in-person and virtual learning experiences. For more information please contact Olivier Millour, Manager, Partnerships and Development at 813-631-1410 ex. 251 or at [email protected].