The Future Career Academy is forging meaningful links between the youth of Hillsborough County and the wealth of career opportunities awaiting them in sectors critical to the region's prosperity. Partnering with Hillsborough County Public Schools, area businesses, and community stakeholders, this initiative is guiding students towards in-demand jobs with the promise of longevity and financial stability.
Recent endeavors by the Hillsborough Water Resources and Public Works departments brought students up close with the realities of a career in infrastructure and utilities services, giving them a taste of the daily grind through hands-on demonstrations and facility tours; they operated machinery simulators, peered into the innards of infrastructure with CCTV pipe inspection cameras, marveled at the heft of excavators and loaders, and even tested their skills at fire hydrant and water service procedures.
Launched in 2015, the Future Career Academy is intensely focused on preparing students for the workforce with practical skills and insights, reporting that graduating seniors secure living-wage jobs as a stepping stone to prosperous careers—a claim anchored by the program being an arm of the Workforce Development Partners Corporation, according to the academy's website.
As a conduit for experiential learning and networking, the academy not only showcases the tangible facets of industry sectors but also mentors the next wave of Hillsborough County's workforce ensuring that students understand the value of such roles in maintaining the societal fabric and the economy; through their programming, the young minds of today gain a firmer grasp on the levers that will drive their futures.
