Junior Achievement hosts thousands of middle school students at Southwest Florida’s largest ever career expo

Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida (JA) recently held the largest ever career expo in Southwest Florida. Nearly ten thousand eighth grade students from Lee and Collier Counties participated in the JA Inspire program and thousands attended the three-day event held at Alico Arena on the campus of Florida Gulf Coast University.

Over 50 of the region’s top employers and business professionals met with the students to discuss real-world opportunities and envision future career options in Southwest Florida. The program included in-classroom curriculum as well as the hands-on expo.

JA is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.

• Eighth grade Lee and Collier County students attended Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s first ‘Inspire’ career expo at Alico Arena to learn about future career options in the region.

• A Lee County student gets a first-hand look at Suffolk’s virtual reality tool at Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s ‘Inspire’ career expo on Thursday, April 27.

• Students were introduced to virtual reality as part of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s ‘Inspire’ career expo held at Alico Arena from Wednesday, April 26 – Friday, April 28.

• Students were able to get an inside look at the culinary arts as a possible career during Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s ‘Inspire’ career expo.

• A Southwest Florida eighth grader practices CPR as part of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida’s ‘Inspire’ hands-on career expo held at FGCU recently.

• A local middle schooler takes part in one of the hands-on activities at the recent ‘Inspire’ career expo hosted by Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida.