All posts tagged: Junior Achievement of South Florida

Virtual Career Exploration Program Reaches More Than 8,000 South Florida Students

For Immediate Release 

For More Information Contact: 

Christopher Miller, Marketing Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110 
Ch*********@************da.org 

 VIRTUAL CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM REACHES 
MORE THAN 8,000 SOUTH FLORIDA STUDENTS 

Junior Achievement of South Florida is hosting JA Inspire Virtual, an online and interactive career exploration program on February 2-3, 2021JA Inspire is a virtual career exploration fair targeting up to 8,000 8th, 11th and 12th grade students introducing them to high growth/high demand career pathways. These pathways include automotive, aviation, construction, finance, government, health, hospitality, marine and technology.  

Building a talent pipeline across industries is a common problem faced by our community. This is an opportunity for all of us to work together to inspire and excite our young people about jobs available right here in South Florida,” said Laurie Sallarulo, President & CEO. “JA Inspire gives students the ability to connect with employers who will answer the students’ questions about their industries, career paths, job responsibilities and business culture.” 

The program will feature more than 50 exhibitors that have the flexibility to make their booths creative with videos, pamphlets, flyers, photos and career stories using the VFairs platform. Students will be given the choice to add information to their “backpack” so they can re-visit the booths for up to 90 days after the live event.  

When students sign into the virtual platform, they will enter a virtual lobby along with other student avatars. They can then maneuver to an information center, an auditorium with live webinars, and visit virtual halls. Students will find specific industries using the directory provided to them, or can explore the virtual halls and stop at exhibitor booths. Throughout the day, there will be games to keep the students interested and engaged. 

“Why JA Inspire? Students will begin their explorations with mostly abstract notions and will end up focused and activated, with real insights on what industries interest them, what specific jobs are like, and what education is required to do them successfully,” Sallarulo said. 

For exhibitors and partners, this is an opportunity to inspire today’s students by sharing great things about your industry/business, financially contribute to JA programs through a sponsorship, and market your company to students, educators, parents and other businesses. Thank you to our current sponsor, The City of Pompano Beach and our exhibitors, Crewfacilities.com, Coconut Creek Fire Rescue, Publix and Tri Rail. 

To get involved with JA Inspire, or to learn more visit https://jasouthflorida.org/JAInspire call Claire Aguilera at (954) 979-7104 

 About Junior Achievement of South Florida 

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) inspires and prepares youth to succeed in a global economy. JA provides real-world training in financial literacy including budgeting, spending, investing and the use of credit; offers cutting-edge skill-building opportunities that enable young people to explore meaningful, productive careers; teaches students how to start businesses; and introduces entrepreneurial values that strengthen workplaces. Last year, with the help of over 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered over 20 various programs to almost 50,000 students in classrooms throughout Broward and south Palm Beach counties and at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, a first-class facility housing JA BizTown and JA Career Discovery Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida. 

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Virtual Career Exploration Program Reaches More Than 8,000 South Florida Students
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A Virtual Summit for a More Equitable and Just Tomorrow

When: Tuesday, December 08, 2020
Where: Virtual Event
Time: 1:00 PM EST

As an extension of their digital and experiential learning resources, Junior Achievement is partnering with Invest in You: Ready. Set. Grow., CNBC’s financial wellness and education initiative in partnership with Acorns, to host a “Summit for a More Equitable and Just Tomorrow” on December 8 at 1pm ET.

Hosted by CNBC Senior Personal Finance Correspondent Sharon Epperson, this unique interactive event will give teens across America direct access to some of the country’s most knowledgeable experts on economic empowerment, especially as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The panelists will offer simple, straightforward strategies to help empower participants to strive toward promoting a more equitable and just tomorrow.

About CNBC

CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business content consumed by more than 557 million people per month across all platforms. The network’s 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 5:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC’s global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC’s highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries.

CNBC also offers content through its vast portfolio of digital products such as: CNBC.com, which provides real-time financial market news and information to CNBC’s investor audience; CNBC Make It, a digital destination focused on making you smarter about how you earn, save and spend your money; CNBC PRO, a premium service that provides in-depth access to Wall Street; a suite of CNBC mobile apps for iOS and Android devices; Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri voice interfaces; and streaming services including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV and Samsung Smart TVs. To learn more, visit https://www.cnbc.com/digital-products/.

Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBCUniversal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/programming/cnbc. For more information about NBCUniversal, please visit http://www.NBCUniversal.com.

Need More Information?

For more information about this event, please contact us!
A Virtual Summit for a More Equitable and Just Tomorrow
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Junior Achievement Fills the Gap From Education to Employment

For Immediate Release 

For More Information Contact:
Christopher Miller, Marketing Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110 
Ch*********@************da.org 

 JA plans for another successful year of providing internship opportunities for local high school students
 

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) is looking for South Florida businesses to host 150 JA trained interns for the summer of 2021. The overall goal is to prepare today’s youth for tomorrow’s careers by bridging the gap from education to employment. 

Junior Achievement is a solution provider in our community. Employers need to hire qualified, talented young professionals who are well trained for an always evolving workforce. JA is preparing our students to be the most responsible consumers, the most productive employees and business owners that will create jobs to better our economy,” said Laurie Sallarulo, Junior Achievement of South Florida President and CEO.  

Prior to their internships, students participate in the JA Career Bound program, a cutting-edge, skills-building leadership program for high school students to learn the skills necessary to succeed in today’s workforce. The program includes a retreat, programs days focused on discovering specific industries, learning from top executives who share their professional journey to success and culminates in summer employment opportunities. Skills taught include critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, public speaking, communication, interviewing for a job and establishing career goals. 

I would like to say thank you to Junior Achievement, first and foremost, for helping me get the internship at WinterFest. This was my very first experience in a job. I don’t think I will ever be able to get similar advice or have a similar experience anywhere else,” said Phara Sylvain, summer employee. 

Running from June to Augustthe Summer Youth Employment program matches trained interns with a company in each student’s industry of preference. Employers interview the students to guarantee a perfect match. Each employer provides 3-5 weeks of meaningful work and proper training so both parties can maximize on this opportunity. Thanks to generous funding from The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, JA pays the wages for each intern in the program. 

“It’s a win-win partnership. The students gain work experience, future opportunities and build a strong network of professionals. Employers build and enhance their brand, invest in the next generation of leaders and ensure a pipeline of qualified, prepared employees in the future,” Sallarulo said. 

This past summer, JA’s Summer Employment Program was a success. It placed 52 students in jobs with 27 companies. The employers had a 100% positive feedback about the program and 80% of the internships were extended from three to five weeks. In addition, three of the students were hired by the company upon completion of their internship. 

As employers and organizations, it’s part of our duty to give back to the community. I think the Summer Youth Employment program is a great opportunity to give back not only to the community, but also to those students who are going to be graduating soon,” said Mili PelusoCenturic. 

For more information on how you can host a trained student intern contact Anna Khaver, Youth Employment Manager, at (954) 979-7106 or email An**@************da.org. 

 About Junior Achievement of South Florida 

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) inspires and prepares youth to succeed in a global economy. JA provides real-world training in financial literacy including budgeting, spending, investing and the use of credit; offers cutting-edge skill-building opportunities that enable young people to explore meaningful, productive careers; teaches students how to start businesses; and introduces entrepreneurial values that strengthen workplaces. Last year, with the help of over 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered over 20 various programs to almost 50,000 students in classrooms throughout Broward and south Palm Beach counties and at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, a first-class facility housing JA BizTown and JA Career Discovery Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida. 

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Junior Achievement Fills the Gap From Education to Employment
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JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND DISCOVER LAUNCH JA FINANCE PARK VIRTUAL®

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND DISCOVER LAUNCH JA FINANCE PARK VIRTUAL®

Coconut Creek, FL – Today, Junior Achievement USA, with the support of Discover, is announcing the launch of JA Career Discovery Park Virtual®The program is designed to help Middle and High School students better understand how to manage money by assigning them simulated life-scenarios and challenging them to successfully manage their finances.

The program, which aligns with national and state educational standards, is delivered by a teacher, with the support of a volunteer from the local business community. This can be done either in-person, online, or in a hybrid model. Students then use a laptop or mobile device to participate in the JA Career Discovery Park Virtual simulation. The program helps teens gain a better understanding of how to assess difficult financial situations and weigh their options.

“Many Americans’ first experience with managing finances is as adults when getting something wrong can have life-changing implications,” said Jack E. Kosakowski, President and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. “With JA Career Discovery Park Virtual, teens can try, and potentially fail, in a safe environment that includes lessons on money management. We greatly appreciate Discover’s support in helping us get these lessons to as many young people as possible through online delivery.”

“JA Career Discovery Park Virtual gives students the opportunity to learn money management skills needed to make important education, career, and financial decisions, said Brian Hughes, Executive Vice President at Discover, and also a Junior Achievement of Chicago Board member. Helping people achieve brighter financial futures has long been Discover’s mission and we believe that mission extends to the classroom. The lessons learned through JA Career Discovery Park Virtual will benefit teenagers long after they leave school.”

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND DISCOVER LAUNCH JA FINANCE PARK VIRTUAL®
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In Memory of Rick Case

Dear Friends,

On September 21st, the community lost one of Florida’s most innovative leaders and courageous businessmen, Rick Case. While building his automotive empire, Rick Case Automotive Group, along with his wife Rita, Rick always found time to support the community personally and also advocated on their behalf to get others involved. He supported so many organizations including Junior Achievement of South Florida.

Rick and Rita were inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame in 2006 (video below) in recognition of their significant impact in their industry and community. Rick embodies the very values Junior Achievement teaches young people and was an outstanding role model not only for his own children, but did thousands of others.

Something we can all learn from Rick is to be passionate, get involved and take risks. As you drive around South Florida you may see the legacy of Rick, physically, through the establishments of his dealerships, but you will also see the legacy and deep mark he left on our community. He will always be remembered here at Junior Achievement. Our thoughts go out to Rita and the Case family.

Junior Achievement of South Florida

In Memory of Rick Case
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JA Announces New Board Members and Executive Committee

For Immediate Release 

For More Information Contact: 

Christopher Miller, Marketing Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110 
Ch*********@************da.org 

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

Junior Achievement of South Florida, the go-to expert for entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy programs for 50,000 students in Broward and south Palm Beach counties, welcomes its newest Board Members, and its Executive Committee for 2020-2021. 

Congratulations to the following community leaders on their election to JA’s Board of Directors: 

  • Jeni Chokron, Senior Commercial Relationship Manager & Broward Commercial Team Lead, First Horizon 
  • Jessica Lerner, President and CEO, Community Care Plan 
  • John GoffVice President, Retail Operations, Miami Division, Publix 
  • Kenneth deBritto, CEO, AiMediaGroup 
  • Kim Swears, Managing Partner & Owner, FB Marine Group 
  • Major Kevin Granville, Broward Sheriff’s Office
  • Michelle Martinez Reyes, Chief Relations Officer, KelleKronenberg 
  • Sunem Beaton-Garcia, Campus President and Vice Provost, Academic Services, Broward College North Campus 

Serving on the Executive Committee and Committee Chairs are: 

  • Andrew Koenig,  Board Vice Chair – CITY Furniture 
  • Bob Birdsong, Governance Committee Chair – OK Generators 
  • Brandon Hensler, Marketing/PR/External Affairs Committee Chair – Nova Southeastern University 
  • Brenda Horner, CEO Compensation Committee Chair – Consolidated Credit Solutions 
  • David Greenberg, Innovative Initiatives Committee Chair – Greenberg Capital 
  • Franki SchmidtSecretary –  American Express 
  • Joel D. MayersohnTreasurer, Finance Committee Chair – Dickinson Wright 
  • Mark Walter, Audit Committee Chair – The Legacy Companies 
  • Meaghan Ryan, Programs Committee Chair – Seminole Gaming 
  • Tim Hogans, Community & Government Affairs Committee Chair – NextEra Energy/ FPL 
  • Tim Rubin, Board Chair, Executive Committee Chair –  Kaufman Rossin & Co. 

JA’s Board of Directors is composed of 72 local community leaders with a strong and balanced blend of skills and experiences and who provide guidance to the JA staff and support the mission. 

We are proud to have such a strong, forward-thinking and committed Board who exemplify our mission of training the next generation of business leaders, employees and consumersThis group of dynamic leaders understand our goal to bridge the skills gap of today’s students seeking tomorrow’s jobs and teach essential financial literacy skills to prepare our youth for any situation in life so that they have a better future,” said Laurie Sallarulo, President & CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida. 

In addition to serving on several committees, JA’s Board of Directors also volunteer their time planning and implementing fundraising events and networking opportunities. Learn more about the JA Board of Directors at www.jasouthflorida.org/board-of-directors 

“Congratulations to the newest members of our Board of Directors. Despite what obstacles are thrown our way, I look forward to another prosperous year helping Junior Achievement become a thought leader and solution provider in our greater community,” said Tim Rubin, Board Chair. 

 About Junior Achievement of South Florida 

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) inspires and prepares youth to succeed in a global economy. JA provides real-world training in financial literacy including budgeting, spending, investing and the use of credit; offers cutting-edge skill-building opportunities that enable young people to explore meaningful, productive careers; teaches students how to start businesses; and introduces entrepreneurial values that strengthen workplaces. Last year, with the help of over 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered over 20 various programs to almost 50,000 students in classrooms throughout Broward and south Palm Beach counties and at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, a first-class facility housing JA BizTown and JA Career Discovery Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida. 

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Pictured above: Junior Achievement of South Florida’s newest Board Members (left to right, top row) Sunem Beaton-Garcia, Jeni Chokron, Kenneth deBritto, John Goff, Major Kevin Granville, Jessica Lerner, Michelle Martinez-Reyes and Kim Swears.  

JA Announces New Board Members and Executive Committee
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Junior Achievement Launches JA World Remote Learning Program

For Immediate Release

For More Information Contact:

Christopher Miller, Marketing Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110
Ch*********@************da.org

JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA LAUNCHES  
JA WORLD REMOTE LEARNING PROGRAM 

 JA provides a safe and secure environment for 
K-8th grade students during COVID-19  

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) has partnered with Community After School (CAS) to re-open JA World Huizenga Center at the Lilian S. Wells Pavilion, a 60,000 square foot learning center, as a safe place for students to learn and thrive as they participate in e-learning this fall.  

Opening August 31, the JA World Remote Learning Program is for students with parents who need to return to work or work from home uninterrupted while their students participate in school learning, as well as other activities to keep them engaged.  

“We know this is a stressful time for parents. Our team hears the stories of parents who lost their jobs or are unable to afford private care for their children while they return to work. Junior Achievement is proud to be a resource to our community, especially for struggling families during times of crisis,” said Laurie Sallarulo, President & CEO. “Despite the risks, opening JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion in Coconut Creek ithe right decision for the families that need us.” 

“As a working parent and unable to work at home, I have no place to send my child during school hours so I can return to work. Unfortunately, my employer has threatened to terminate my employment. This program literally saved my job and my family,” said one of the parents registered for the Remote Learning Program. 

The first Remote Learning Program session is August 31-October 2, excluding Labor Day (September 7), and additional 5-week sessions will be added based on the Broward County Public Schools’ schedule during COVID-19. This program is available for students who are enrolled in Broward Schools and families whose income is within the sliding scale. Costs range from $5-$400 per student for each 5-week session depending on individual family household incomes. The hours are Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 

In addition to the students’ daily schoolwork from 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m., JA will be providing them traditional financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness programs via virtual platforms, as well as enriching activities from 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m. offered by our partner CAS. 

All CDC guidelines will be strictly enforced. These include social distancing, daily health screenings, proactive hand hygiene and face covering practices, strict stay at home policies to ensure the safety of the students and professional staff.  

The Remote Learning Program is also creating jobs. JA is hiring a Learning Program Director position and 24 additional Learning Pod Leaders to provide guidance to the students and assure safety measures are followed closely. 

For more information about the JA Remote Learning Program, including student registration, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org/RemoteLearning or call (954) 979-7100. 

About Junior Achievement of South Florida 

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) inspires and prepares youth to succeed in a global economy. JA provides real-world training in financial literacy including budgeting, spending, investing and the use of credit; offers cutting-edge skill-building opportunities that enable young people to explore meaningful, productive careers; teaches students how to start businesses; and introduces entrepreneurial values that strengthen workplaces. Last year, with the help of over 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered over 20 various programs to almost 50,000 students in classrooms throughout Broward and south Palm Beach counties and at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, a first-class facility housing JA BizTown and JA Career Discovery Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida. 

Junior Achievement Launches JA World Remote Learning Program
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JA Books, Bucks and Backpacks In The News

JA Books, Bucks and Backpacks In The News

Junior Achievement of South Florida’s Books, Bucks and Backpacks’s initiative is determined to bring financial, reading and health literacy to every child. We’ve partnered with local community members and organizations to help put together backpacks filled with activities, educational materials, other giveaways and food to families in Broward County. To learn more about this initiative and to see a list of our sponsors visit here.

Books, Bucks and Backpacks has seen much success, we’ve even made it in other news outlets. Check them out below!

CityBizList

“Junior Achievement of South Florida (JASF) will be distributing backpacks filled with age appropriate financial education materials, books, healthcare information, snacks and other relevant items to bring youth financial literacy education into the homes of children and families who need it most…”

Visit CityBizList to read more.

NorthLauderdaleNews.net

“Junior Achievement of South Florida (JASF) will be distributing backpacks filled with age appropriate financial education materials, books, healthcare information, snacks, and other relevant back-to-school items for children ages 3-11…”

Visit NorthLauderdaleNews.net to read more

Miami Herald

“Junior Achievement of South Florida plans to host its Financial Literacy Program to help children and families across Broward. The group will distribute backpacks filled with age appropriate financial education materials, books, healthcare information, snacks and other relevant items ‘to bring youth financial literacy education into the homes of children and families who need it most’…”

Visit Miami Herald to read more.

Lifestyle Media

“Junior Achievement of South Florida in Coconut Creek hosted its Books, Bucks and Backpacks initiative in July and August, distributing nearly 2,000 backpacks filled with age-appropriate financial education materials, books, healthcare information, snacks and other relevant items for children ages 3-11…”

Visit Lifestyle to read more.

JA Books, Bucks and Backpacks In The News
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Comcast Newsmakers July 21, 2020

Financial Lessons In The Time Of COVID-19

With Laurie Sallarulo of Junior Achievement of South Florida

Hosted by Nathalia Ortiz
Produced by: Florida Newsmakers Team

As the world faces the challenges of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, one local nonprofit is remaining focused in its mission of empowering students to take control of their financial futures. Laurie Sallarulo, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida, talks about how they delivering their program during these challenging times.

Comcast Newsmakers July 21, 2020
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JA Alumni Report – May 2020

Introduction

A new survey of 1,002 Junior Achievement alumni conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Junior Achievement USA – an organization that aims to develop work-place readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills in students through volunteer-led talks, exercises, and programs – finds that the Junior Achievement (JA) program had a strong impact on JA alumni’s professional and personal development into adulthood and the working-world.

Junior Achievement Alumni Business Owners

Half of JA alumni have started or owned a business in at least one point in time in their lives (53%) according to survey results. One-third report they owned or started one business (35%) and 18% say they owned or started multiple businesses. About three-quarters of JA alumni business owners say their businesses are still operating today (72%). This is far higher than the nationwide average – according to the U.S. Census, just 6%
of Americans are self-employed. Those who are both JA alumni business owners and who report that they worked in the same field as their JA volunteer are more likely to say their business is still operation (82%) than the other JA entrepreneurs. Over half report having small to mid-size businesses that had 50 or fewer employees (63%), while 38% said they owned larger businesses with 51 employees or more.

• Men and women JA alumni are equally likely to say they have started or partnered in multiple
businesses. This makes women who are JA alumni slightly more likely than the national population
to own a business. In 2017, 39% of all U.S. firms were owned by women.

• Younger JA alumni are more likely to say they have started multiple businesses (23%) than those
ages 35-54 (15%) and those ages 55+ (13%).

• JA alumni from the South are more likely to say they have started one business (41%) compared to
one-third of those in the Northeast (30%), Midwest (31%) and West (31%).

Impact on Future Decisions

About 4 in 5 JA alumni report that the JA program played a somewhat important or very important role in their decision to pursue further education (79%), their professional development (79%), and their personal development (78%). Fifty-one percent (51%) of JA alumni have college degrees, much higher
than that nationwide average of 33%. Eighty-five percent (85%) of JA alumni say the JA program played an important role in fostering the belief that they could achieve their goals, and 83% say it also played an important role in boosting their confidence in new situations. Three-quarters say it played an important role in their career path (75%). Those who ended up in working in the same field as their JA volunteer are even more likely to say that the JA program played an important role in their career path (88%), their confidence (90%), the belief they could achieve their goals (92%), their professional development (88%), their personal development (87%) and their decision to pursue further education (88%).

• Women and men JA alumni are equally likely to say the JA program played an important role in their decision to pursue further education, personal development, helping them believe they could achieve their goals, and giving them confidence in new situations. While strong majorities of both men and women report that the program played an important role in their professional development (82% and 74% respectively) and their career path (78% and 69% respectively), men were more likely to say the program was important in shaping those aspects of their lives.

JA Alumni Report – May 2020
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