Junior Achievement of North Florida to launch JA Inspire – A Virtual Career Exploration Program

Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 27, 2020 – Junior Achievement of North Florida has teamed up with the Duval County Public Schools Career and Technical Education Department for JA Inspire – A Virtual Career Exploration Program. The free pilot program is designed exclusively for eighth-grade students to introduce them to career opportunities and the education they will need on the path to those careers before they begin their high school coursework. Teachers will lead five in-class JA sessions through February leading up to the virtual career expo for students which is open March 1 through March 5. The expo will be followed by a sixth session that focuses on the student’s plan for the future.

JA Inspire will introduce students to eight industry categories, known as career clusters, which have the highest growth and earning potential in Northeast Florida. Those categories include:

advanced manufacturing, engineering, and logistics
agriculture, food, and natural resources
architecture, engineering, and construction
business and finance
government, public administration, and law
health and life science
hospitality and tourism
technology.

The students will be given a digital career workbook that includes a personality quiz to help the student find a career that suits their talents and values. They will also have access to the free JA Build Your Future app which will help students and parents calculate the cost of postsecondary education to achieve career goals as well as earning potential.

“It’s important to give students exposure to the businesses in the region and the kinds of jobs that are available and in demand,” said Shannon Italia, president of JA of North Florida. “JA Inspire Virtual is a perfect learning experience for students that are in school districts offering career-focused academies and career and technical education (CTE) programs. We look forward to building regional partnerships that encourage our students to stay, learn and work in the region.”

JA Inspire is open to all teachers and eighth-grade students in Duval County Public Schools. Teachers can register their class here. JA of North Florida will provide teachers with all the pertinent training and logistics for JA Inspire. For more information, contact JA of North Florida Senior Program Manager at melissa@janfl.org.

JA of North Florida is planning another JA Inspire program for the fall of 2021 which will be open to schools throughout the area. The fall program will also include partnership and sponsorship opportunities for local businesses. Those interested in learning how a school or business can get involved can contact Shannon Italia at shannon@janfl.org.

About Junior Achievement of North Florida

Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. Junior Achievement of North Florida has been operating in Jacksonville since 1963 and includes a satellite office in Tallahassee. Through an innovative partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers, Junior Achievement of North Florida helps young people connect with relevant learning and the importance of staying in school. This collaboration resulted in 48,100 students reached during the 2019-20 school year. To learn more about Junior Achievement of North Florida, visit www.janfl.org.