Miller Electric Co. and Milwaukee Tool have committed as founding sponsors of Junior Achievement of North Florida’s Experiential Learning Center, a workforce readiness and career exploration facility under development at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s Downtown campus.
The companies are partnering with United Way of Northeast Florida and Duval County Public Schools, committing $50,000 to restore and strengthen career and technical education programs, starting with the relaunch of an electrical training program at Westside High School in West Jacksonville.
The partnership intends to address the shortage of skilled trades professionals while ensuring students have clear pathways from classroom to career.
“We see this as a generational workforce solution,” Patty Keenan, chief talent officer at Jacksonville-based Miller Electric Co., said in a July 6 release.
“These programs provide early exposure to meaningful careers, not just jobs, in industries poised for tremendous future growth. When students can see a future for themselves in these careers early, it can change the trajectory of their lives while strengthening the workforce and community we all depend on.”
The Experiential Learning Center is designed to serve more than 30,000 students annually through learning experiences that connect classroom education to real-world careers, the release said. Students will explore industries including construction, manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, finance, technology and STEM while developing the skills needed to pursue high-demand careers.
“Our goal is to help young people connect what they are learning in school to the opportunities that exist right here in Northeast Florida,” Shannon Italia, president of Junior Achievement of North Florida, said in the release.
“Through the Experiential Learning Center, students will explore careers, understand the skills those careers require, and begin building a vision for their future. Partnerships like this help ensure that workforce pathways are both visible and accessible.”
The partnership allows restoration of the electrical CTE program at Westside High School, creating a path into apprenticeships and careers in the electrical and construction trades.
“When we invest in students, we invest in the future of our community,” said Christopher Bernier, superintendent of Duval County Public Schools.
“Our responsibility is to ensure every student graduates with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to succeed. This partnership with Miller Electric Company, Junior Achievement, Milwaukee Tool, and United Way of NE Florida will help us expand experiences that connect classroom learning to future careers, preparing students for success in college, the workforce, and life.”
The Junior Achievement Experiential Learning Center at FSCJ will combine JA BizTown and JA Finance Park to deliver hands-on learning experiences for students across Northeast Florida.
Within JA BizTown, students will step into the roles of employees, business leaders and consumers making decisions, managing finances and experiencing how a local economy operates.
In JA Finance Park, students will make financial decisions based on a simulated life scenario that includes a job, income and family responsibilities. The program emphasizes budgeting, saving, credit management and career exploration.
Junior Achievement said it is working to move the project into the construction phase by the end of 2026, supported by corporate partners and the organization’s Groundbreakers initiative.
The ELC is part of a $15 million capital campaign to expand Junior Achievement’s reach and impact in Northeast Florida.