Junior Achievement Builds Wayne County Talent Pipeline

Canton, Ohio – Last spring, Junior Achievement (JA) of North Central Ohio partnered with local companies to bring almost 7,000 teens a vital career exploration experience.

JA Inspire bridged the gap between classrooms and the workplace through practical pre-event sessions, culminating in a virtual career exploration event. 6,879 6^th-12^th graders from 9 counties, including 531 students from Wayne, discovered current skills and interests would direct their career path while connecting with local companies and jobs.

North Central Ohio is relaunching JA Inspire, presented by FirstEnergy Foundation, on December 1, 2021. Accessible to students for 6 months, the program features include updated curriculum for middle and high school students and more jobs and companies to explore. With the goal of over 1,700 Wayne County students, JA is looking to increase its impact on the next generation.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from area employers – they need help building their talent pipeline,” said Lori McCleese, President of JA of North Central Ohio. “Likewise, our school districts want to raise awareness about the different paths students can choose that will lead them to a happy and financially stable life. JA’s mission to inspire and prepare students to own their economic success serves as the conduit to achieve both goals.”

North Central Ohio is partnering with the Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce and Wayne Economic Development Council to promote the event to local businesses.

Companies are invited to showcase their businesses to their future employees by becoming a JA Inspire sponsor. Contact Lori McCleese (Lori.McCleese@ja.org, 330-433-0063 x106) for details!

About Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement 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. Today, JA reaches 4.8 million students per year in more than 100 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.6 million students served by operations in over 100 other countries worldwide. JA of North Central Ohio operates in 15 Ohio Counties, impacting 14,468 students in the 2020-21 academic year. Discover the JA promise for today’s students and opportunities to get involved at jaofnco.ja.org.