POWER of FORESIGHT
Online career fair to give middle, high school students chance to see future, find inspiration amid ‘new normal’ changes in workforce
We could all use a little inspiration right now — and even some excitement about the future. And while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on students from learning to career exploration, Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan (JASEM) is stepping up to help with an innovative program called “JA Inspire.”
The new virtual opportunity for eighththrough 12th-grade students will take place March 15-June 13, 2021. Through an online portal, students will enter a virtual exhibit hall and check out a wide variety of career opportunities with dozens of local businesses. All it takes is a few simple clicks.
Students will be able to download career information, videos and steps to take to pursue various careers in different industries. Educators, students and their parents can access the portal and information any time, from the comfort and safety of home. And the program is available at no cost to school systems or youths serving community-based organizations, and it’s also adaptable for inclass or remote learning. Interested students may register at jamichigan.org/inspiremi.
Sydney Lee, 15, who lives in Southfield, is excited about discovering what opportunities might be out there waiting for her.
“I will be participating in the career fair, which is where kids can go and try and figure out what profession they want to be in, so I’m excited to go and learn about different professions and which ones I might be interested in when I grow up,” says Sydney, a sophomore at Birmingham Groves High School. “Right now I’m interested in psychology.”
Sydney likes that the career fair will be online because it will be more accessible to more
students, and instead of running for just one or two days, it’s for four months.
Sydney’s brother, Jordan, 13, also plans to participate in the career fair.
“I’m looking forward to exploring the different options of what I might want to do in life,” says Jordan, who is in eighth grade at University of Detroit Jesuit High School.
Sydney and Jordan’s father, Jason D. Lee, is the president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan and helped organize JA Inspire.
“Students will essentially have a one-stop shop where they can learn about different career pathways available throughout the region,” Lee says. “It’s a virtual showcase that we hope will inspire and prepare young people for future success locally with Michigan companies. We want to keep our best and brightest students here.”
Participation in JA Inspire is open to companies and students in Wayne, Oakland, Livingston, Monroe, Washtenaw, Genesee, Lapeer, and St. Clair counties, and North Central Michigan. As many as 20,000 students are expected to participate.
Lee says the online event is urgently needed during COVID-19 because student internships, job shadowing, field trips and other onsite workplace learning experiences have largely been suspended due to the pandemic.
Gina Coleman, chief sales officer for Massmutual Great Lakes and JASEM board chair, says the mission at Junior Achievement
of Southeastern Michigan is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.
“That’s exactly what JA Inspire is designed to do,” she says. “We encourage as many students, schools and businesses as possible to take advantage of this unique opportunity.”
Junior Achievement is seeking participation from at least 100 businesses showcasing careers, training resources and postsecondary opportunities in Michigan and nationwide. Companies that have already reserved online booths include title sponsor Delta Dental, AAA, Delta Air Lines, DTE Energy, EY, Henry Ford Health System, Mcdonalds of Michigan and many others.
“This is an area of passion for us — around entrepreneurship, supporting the next generation workforce, and equity and diversity in the workplace,” said Scott Mullan, JASEM vice chair. “JA Inspire is a way to show all of these students a wide range of opportunities that they’re not going to be exposed to on a day-to-day basis and help to influence their future career choices as well as our own recruiting.”
Founded nationally in 1919 and locally in 1949, Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students in grades K-12 about financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship, reaching more than 10 million students across the globe. Sponsorship fees for participating businesses start at $500 and support the operating costs of JA Inspire and JA’S work in the region.