CareerSource Suncoast recently held a graduation for 33 students from its 5-week Career Academy. This summer program provided juniors, seniors and recent graduates an opportunity to learn important leadership skills, financial literacy, personal branding, community engagement and career exploration.
In addition to time in the classroom, students visited 22 local businesses in healthcare, construction, manufacturing and IT. These businesses provided the students with hands-on experiences in a variety of industries so they could be exposed to careers that may spark their interest. Businesses that welcomed Career Academy students include Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Manatee Memorial Hospital, LECOM, Plymouth Harbor, Voalte, ShareCare, SouthTech, atLarge Inc., BOLD Cowork, xByte Technologies, IMG Academies, Star2Star Communications, ROBRADY Design, PGT Industries, Tervis, Adams Group, Design Concepts/Marine Concepts, SAFRAN, Bealls Distribution, Tandem Construction and Feld Entertainment.
Student Janeli Berrones hadn’t considered a career in healthcare until attending Career Academy. “Something I really enjoyed was healthcare week. It was an experience to remember and we got to go into a helicopter and see all the medical equipment inside.”
Sidney Austin felt like the program shifted his mindset on what is important to employers. “We learned about interview skills,” he said. “We also learned about how to handle certain situations. What I took from the program is that I learned professionalism and that is going to take me very far.”
“During this year’s Career Academy, students demonstrated the understanding of key transferable skills to be successful in the workplace,” says Chris Laney, Director of Education & Community Investment for CareerSource Suncoast. “It is not enough to teach students the importance of interviewing and building a good resume, but to get to the underlining needs employers are asking for in this region. Students need to be prepared to work with others and understand the importance of grit. We feel these students are better prepared today for whatever career they’re interested in pursuing.”
Watch this video to learn more about the students’ experiences in Career Academy.
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About CareerSource Suncoast
CareerSource Suncoast is a non-profit dedicated to providing education and tools for employers and job-seekers. Our mission is to recruit, train and retain talent for employers on the Suncoast. An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.