All posts tagged: Pre-Apprenticeship

JA Joins Nationwide Pre-Apprenticeship Week Celebration

In line with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ workforce education goals, Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) has expanded its pre-apprenticeship training programs. Graduating participants will publicly announce their career path selections at a declaration celebration on May 31.

COCONUT CREEK, FL — The declaration celebration is being hosted in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor nationwide Youth Apprenticeship Week (YAW), which takes place May 5-11, with events throughout the month of May.

JA’s pre-apprenticeship program offers students an alternative to college by providing them the opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications and work for local companies in the marine and construction industries.

There has been a recent resurgence of pre-apprenticeship opportunities both nationally and statewide as educators, politicians and entrepreneurs fight to give young people new pathways for success. Taking on costly student loans to attend universities is out of reach for many young Americans; pre-apprenticeships offer a proven method to advance students to well-paying careers.

Hiring pre-apprentices is a win-win scenario for both the students, who enter the program at no cost, and to industry employers, who are struggling to fill vacancies in their workforces caused by the “silver tsunami” of retiring workers.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recognized the importance of pre-apprenticeship opportunities when in 2019 he publicly set a goal of making Florida the number one state in the nation for workforce education by 2030. He then passed the 2021 Reimagining Education and Career Help (REACH 2.0) Act to increase pre-apprenticeship opportunities across the state.

JA currently offers six pre-apprenticeship pathways including: yacht service technician, marine technician, electrician, plumbing, roofing and HVAC, with additional career tracks in broadband/telecommunications and water waste operations coming soon. Students can earn tuition-free certifications in Mercury Technician Essential Knowledge (M-TEK), OSHA 10 (Maritime and Construction), CPR/first aid, forklift operation and Florida Boating Safety Care. They also can earn $600 in milestone incentives.

The success stories from this program are remarkable. For example, Ryan Rosas, a graduate of the program, came to JA as a product of the foster care system and a ward of the state. He had few options for his future. At the time he was working three different jobs just to stay afloat. Now he is working for DeAngelo Marine Exhaust, making more than he had made at all three of his previous jobs combined.

“The program allowed him to establish his independence and sidestep the pitfalls that a lot of students from the foster care system hit, where when they age out, they disappear into the abyss,” said Felix Collazo, JA’s Pre-Apprenticeship Program Director. “The program was life-changing for him.”¬¬

Media professionals are invited to attend the Declaration Celebration on May 31. Opportunities to interview students and industry professionals participating in the pre-apprenticeship program are available at any time. Please contact Senior Marketing Manager Christopher Miller at [email protected] or (954) 979-7110 to arrange.

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About Junior Achievement of South Florida

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) empowers our youth with the knowledge, ability and confidence to navigate their futures, drive our economy, and lead our community. 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 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered 20+ programs to over 69,000 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 Finance Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida.

For More Information, Contact:
Christopher Miller, Senior Marketing and Media Production Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110

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Two Dynamic Women Will Be Recognized At Rosé Soirée

JA Event Honors Woman of Wisdom Maureen Canada and Spark Award Recipient Ana Rodriguez

For Immediate Release

BROWARD COUNTY, FL — For 50 years, Maureen Canada and her family ran the Lighthouse Point Marina and Nauti Dawg Marina and Café in Lighthouse Point. This year, her decades of service to the community, and her passion for philanthropy, will be recognized by Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) when the organization’s JA Circle of Wise Women (CWW) honor Canada with the Woman of Wisdom Award at the 2023 Rosé Soirée.

Rosé Soirée, featuring Title Sponsor CITY Furniture and presented by TD Bank, is an annual fundraising event for Junior Achievement of South Florida that gathers empowered women, business entrepreneurs and leaders in philanthropy to mingle over appetizers and sip Rosé while support JA’s financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness programs. This festive affair is hosted by the CWW, a women’s philanthropic group that believes JA programs are a springboard to show today’s youth their potential for success.

The CWW was founded in May of 2009 at the home of Janet Davis with only 10 original members. Now, the CWW boasts a membership of more than 180 women. Since its inception, the group has raised more than $5 million for Junior Achievement of South Florida.

Rosé Soirée is a fun opportunity for the CWW to pin new members of the group, present scholarships to highly deserving high school girls and honor two women with special awards.

The first award, the Woman of Wisdom Award, will go to Canada who has been an active member of the CWW and a recognized business leader in Broward County. She will share her personal formula for success as a profitable family business leader and inspire event attendees with her passion for social advocacy.

The second award, the Spark Award, will be given to Ana Rodriguez, Florida Power & Light Community Relations Specialist. Rodriguez is the first ever to be recognized with this new award, which recognizes an exceptional female trailblazer. Rodriguez has been a mentor in JA’s Girls Rule program, Girls Rule host committee member since its inception and is an active volunteer in JA’s Career Bound and Pre-Apprentice Programs. She serves on the board of directors at Henderson Behavioral Health and Pace Center for Girls Palm Beach.

Last year, Rosé Soirée raised $110,000 for JA programs. Thanks to this year’s sponsors Happy Pineapple Charity Fund, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Advanced Roofing, Walter Duke + Partners, Florida Power & Light, Synovus, Resolve Marine Group, Rick Case Automotive Group, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Galleria at Fort Lauderdale, Lawless, Edwards & Warren Wealth Management, Broward Health, Bergeron Family of Companies, Peter & Fran Woolf, Florescue Family Foundation, The Pretty Nomad, Ed Morse, American Global, Intact Insurance, Tripp Scott, Vital Title & Escrow, Hudson Family Foundation, Halmos Holdings, Intentions Pilates & Wellness Spa, Miller Construction Company, RoofConnect, Transworld Business Advisors, CrewFacilities.com, Maureen Rotella Compass, Toothaker.org, RVG & Company CPA’s, Holy Cross Health, Lank Oil Company, Seacoast Bank, Urban Street Development, American National Bank and numerous partners, this event promises to have a greater impact.

The 2023 Rosé Soirée will be held on September 14 from 4:30 to 7 pm at the former Neiman Marcus at The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale (2442 E Sunrise Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304). To purchase a ticket, please visit JASouthFlorida.org/RoseSoiree. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Please reach out to Diana Metcalf by email at [email protected] or by phone at (954) 979-7120.

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About Junior Achievement of South Florida

Junior Achievement of South Florida empowers our youth with the knowledge, ability and confidence to navigate their futures, drive our economy, and lead our community. 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 5,000 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered 20+ programs to over 74,000 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 Finance Park. For more information about Junior Achievement of South Florida, visit JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida.

For More Information, Contact:

Christopher Miller, Senior Marketing and Media Production Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110

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Entrepreneur Donates More Than 18,000 Beauty Products

The Entrepreneur Behind SinglesSwag, Jonathan Beskin, Donates More Than 18,000 Beauty Products to Junior Achievement of South Florida

For Immediate Release

BROWARD COUNTY, FL — Jonathan Beskin — the CEO and founder of SinglesSwag and author of “The Least Likely Millionaire” — recently donated more than 18,000 beauty and fashion products to Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA). The donation included jewelry, skin care products, fashion accessories and cosmetics, which will be distributed at upcoming JA signature events, as a “thank you” to dedicated JA volunteers and to program students.

JA serves more than 74,000 students annually by teaching financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness development. Some of JA’s programs — such as JA’s Career Bound Program, Pre-Apprenticeship Program and Summer Internship Program — help prepare young adults for the professional workforce, which requires students to be well dressed and presentable to potential employers. Beskin’s donations will be a welcomed surprise for JA’s programs.

“JA’s mission is to bridge the gap between school and the workforce by preparing students for the realities of the world-at-large. Jonathan’s donations will help students feel confident, as they pursue the path toward adulthood,” said JA CEO and President Laurie Sallarulo. “We are grateful to entrepreneurs and philanthropists like Jonathan who use their resources to help our youth.”

Beskin, who publicly shares about his early struggles with mental health before becoming a millionaire, is a fantastic example of an underdog embracing adversity to become a recognized success. His first company, a women’s lifestyle subscription box, went from a pre-revenue idea launched with just $2,000 of his own savings, to earning more than $60 million in revenue in under five years. Now, Beskin’s company SinglesSwag and Paradise Delivered is ranked one of the Top 10 fastest growing companies in Florida by Inc. Magazine and has shipped more than 2 million boxes to more than 60 countries. His book “The Least Likely Millionaire” mentors readers to harness a healthy obsession, ignore the naysayers, and embrace the path-less-traveled.

“I hope to inspire young people who feel like they don’t fit the mold of a successful entrepreneur,” said Beskin. “You don’t need a Harvard MBA or a rich family, you just need a desire to change your life.”

Beskin’s message resonates with the mission of JA to inspire young people to go after their dreams.

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About Junior Achievement of South Florida

For More Information, Contact:

Christopher Miller, Senior Marketing and Media Production Manager
Junior Achievement of South Florida
(954) 979-7110