Careers in focus at St. Lucie Public Schools
Student career fairs, educator and counselor industry exploration tours, ready-to-work boot camps, and business leader tours of school Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs are just some of the ways high school students and area businesses are able to connect with each other in St. Lucie County.
St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) and the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (EDC) have closely collaborated on workforce exploration and readiness programs for the last five years. The partnership is expanding with the addition of two student career fairs scheduled for February and April 2024, along with multiple opportunities for local businesses to tour CTE programs at St. Lucie County high schools this winter.
The student career fairs for SLPS juniors and seniors will be held on Feb. 27 at the MIDFLORIDA Event Center in Port St. Lucie and on April 4 at the Fenn Center in Fort Pierce. Participating area employers and postsecondary educational and training institutions will have an unparalleled opportunity to interact directly with the students.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Economic Development Council for these upcoming events. Our robust and relevant Career and Technical Education programs are tailored to meet the high-skilled, high-wage jobs that are in demand in our local community,” said St. Lucie Public Schools Superintendent Jon R. Prince, PhD. “Many of our career program offerings are a direct result of input from the EDC. This student career fair will focus on jobs in the manufacturing/global logistics, health care, and hospitality sectors that our St. Lucie Public Schools students are ready to fill.”
Industry tours of the high school CTE programs have been scheduled for Jan. 17 at St. Lucie West Centennial High School, Jan. 23 at Treasure Coast High School and Jan. 24 at Port St. Lucie High School. The outboard marine program will be showcased at Centennial High. The tour at Treasure Coast High will include both the engineering/manufacturing and global logistics programs. Building construction technology, allied health, technical design/drafting and automotive programs will be featured at Port St. Lucie High.
“St. Lucie Public Schools have done an extraordinary job of preparing students to succeed after graduation – either in a rewarding career or as they seek higher education or training,” said Pete Tesch, president of the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County. “The district consistently has more than 2,000 students annually who receive industry certifications while in school and offers 58 different career and technical programs.
Lightcast, a global leader in labor market analytics, in December ranked St. Lucie County at #40 of 616 large counties in the U.S. on its 2023 Talent Attraction Scorecard. In the introduction to the scorecard, the analysts noted, “Talent attraction and development is a long game. Strategies take time to incorporate and results develop over the years. Whether it’s K-12 programming or a new college degree in the latest technology, the fruits of even the best talent pipelines can take time.”
“It’s the focused collaborative efforts of St. Lucie Public Schools, the EDC, the Treasure Coast Builders Association, CareerSource Research Coast, Indian River State College, Keiser University and others over the past half-decade which have placed St. Lucie County well within the top 10% of all large counties in the U.S. in talent development and we are aiming higher with these expanded opportunities,” said Tesch.
Businesses interested in participating in the February and April student career fairs should contact Anita Fischer at afischer@youredc.com or by calling 772.302.7192. The industry tours are limited to 30 business participants, space can be reserved by contacting Fischer.
About the Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County
The Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County (EDC) is a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting economic vitality in St. Lucie County through the attraction, retention and expansion of businesses in the community. The EDC works in partnership with local governments and the private sector to advance its goals of creating more and better-paying jobs for residents, broadening the tax base and improving St. Lucie County’s economic quality of life. Contact the EDC at 772.336.6250, contact@youredc.com or www.youredc.com.
About St. Lucie Public Schools
St. Lucie Public Schools (SLPS) proudly serves students with a graduation rate of 91%. As a B-rated district, there are no failing schools, and SLPS ranks among the top one-third of Florida’s districts for student achievement. The district is recognized as one of St. Lucie County’s Best Places to Work, is a Cognia School System of Distinction, and was named Cambridge International’s District of the Year. The mission of SLPS is to ensure all students graduate from safe and caring schools equipped with the knowledge, skills, and desire to succeed. Connect on Facebook and LinkedIn, or visit www.stlucieschools.org.
Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email news@indianrivermedia.com