CHRA is proud to partner with Junior Achievement of Central Maryland, Inc . in supporting their mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

CHRA members join together to volunteer with and support Junior Achievement programs throughout the year including the following: 

Junior Achievement Biz-Town

JA BizTown helps students develop a stronger link between what they learn in school and the realities of how our economy works. After a few weeks of in-classroom curriculum, students are selected for a job and spend a day at the JA facility taking on the role of a real-world professional. When students take on a different role in this "micro-economy," they witness how their decisions affect each other and gain a better understanding of the demands of today's workplace. The fun, immersive atmosphere inspires teamwork, critical thinking, and decision-making skills for each student. Biztown would not be possible without our unparalleled network of volunteers, who assist students in operating Biztown. We need volunteers to help us operate Biztown until the end of the school year!

Click the link here to sign up to volunteer with JA Biz-Town! 

Junior Achievement Career Success Program

The program equips students with the knowledge required to get and keep a job in high-growth industries. Students will explore the crucial workplace skills employers seek but often find lacking in young employees. Volunteers can work with students on many different topics including resumes, cover letters, interviewing techniques, etc. Individual volunteers work with JA staff to find the right school fit. The time commitment is typically from 1-2 hours.

Please contact Mandy Snyder at msnyder@jamaryland.org for more information. 

Junior Achievement "Her Path to Promise" Program

JA is collaborating with a group called Women in Transition to provide 20 young women with the JA Her Path to Promise initiative. All participants are from at-risk backgrounds in Baltimore City and transitioning from the foster care system.

JA Her Path to Promise helps with the transition process from foster care to live healthy independent lives and build the confidence and skills they need to be successful in their futures.  Financial support from CHRA/CHRF will cover program materials, content development, transportation for the students, food, and evaluation of the program.

Through participation in JA Her Path to Promise, high school girls will participate in:

• Interactive JA programs that build confidence and character

• 1:1 mentoring & relationship building

• Resume building & interviewing workshops

• Sessions to assist in developing their personal brand

• JA kit based programs

• Leadership development and career panels

• Dress for Success presentation

• Networking lunch

• Career roundtables for exposure to various jobs and professions

• University tours

The focus of this program is to truly prepare these young women for furthering their education and preparing them to enter the workforce. Through of myriad of activities, Junior Achievement provides these lessons to the young women.  The young women participate in hands-on interactive programming to prepare them for their journey throughout the program.

JA Her Path to promise helps these young women acquire the knowledge and skills to become prepared for the 21st century workforce.  The skills and networks they have built will help them achieve economic self-sufficiency.  They will be inspired to seek post-secondary formal education opportunity in order to position themselves to achieve desired, well-paying careers.

• Learn both the hard-skills (specific knowledge) and soft-skills (the ability to perform well as a part of a corporate team) that employers are seeking.

• Importantly, an outcome that we will be seeking for our students will focus on the significant gap that exists between the skills employers need and the actual skills of high school graduates. In a survey of more than 400 employers in the United States, 42 percent rated the overall preparation of high school graduates for entry-level jobs as deficient -- 73 percent rated their leadership skills deficient, 70 percent rated graduates deficient in both professional/work ethic and critical thinking/problem-solving, and 54 percent rated their creativity/innovation skills as deficient. JA's efforts address these workforce needs.

CHRA volunteer opportunities

Junior Achievement has several volunteer opportunities available for CHRA members during the Her Path to Promise program.  Included in the program, is a one hour panel with Human Resources employees which we would love to include a CHRA member.  In addition, mock interviews will be held with these young women over a two hour time period.  This is an additional volunteer opportunity for CHRA employees to volunteer their time.  Lastly, there will be a career fair where CHRA would be able to have a booth.  During this two hour career fair, CHRA members would be able to share with the young women their pathways to be successful in their careers, offer information on any jobs or internships that may be available at their personal organization or through other CHRA members, and give feedback to these young women on their interviewing and resume skills.

These volunteer opportunities will continue to strengthen the partnership between CHRA and Junior Achievement while preparing our future workforce with the skills they need to be successful in their future endeavors. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact support@chra.com.

To read about how some of our members have already volunteered click here.

CHRA and Junior Achievement Alignment

In June of 2016, a national partnership with The Society for Human Resources and Junior Achievement USA was announced.  The collaborative partnership was formed to promote work readiness in schools across the country.  Together, each organization will use their strengths and expertise to better prepare young people to be successful adults in the workforce. 

Because of this national partnership, it has given Chesapeake Human Resources Association and Junior Achievement of Central Maryland the opportunity to partner and work together.  Locally, our organizations have begun to work together to improve job readiness in the workplace.  This opportunity would give several engagement opportunities to continue and build the partnership.

Testimonials

Included below are quotes from young women participating in the program, from the Executive Director of Women in Transition, and from a Her Path to Promise volunteer.

“I just want to thank you so much. You have taught me so much to start my journey in this world. You showed me my strengths and helped me with believing in myself and to never give up. The program taught me to always stay positive and to make eye contact. I still get a little nervous when I’m going to an interview, but I am no longer afraid of change or moving on in life and stepping out into the world. I learned to put myself first and believe in myself no matter what anybody tells me and don’t let anything or anyone stand in my way of achieving my dream. I can be anything I want to be and you played a part in helping me believe it. “
— My’chae Willy, Student Participant

“JA Her Path to Promise really inspired me to create an action plan toward my goal. Instead of just dreaming, it will happen. I know now that I have to put forth the effort to even get one step closer to my goal. Thank you for the mock interviews and the networking luncheon. It helped me be prepared for a real interview and showed me what they are looking for in an employee. The networking luncheon helped me to meet new people and get their advice for when I step the real world. I can’t thank you enough for this amazing opportunity.”
— Tykiara Henderson, Student Participant

“I have participated in JA events before but nothing really prepared me for yesterday. Simply put, it was amazing and the young ladies could not stop talking about their great experiences. Thank you so much for reaching out to our organization and having a strong follow-up and execution. We are forever changed!”
— Peggy Murphy, Executive Director of Women in Transition, Inc.

“It really was a tremendously inspiring event. Kudos to Ms. Peggy for making such a difference in these girls’ lives. We had one of our interviewees share that she was her role model and gave such specific reasons as to why that I could not help but smile. The warmth she projected when speaking of her was so moving. I look forward to helping out any way I can in the future. If Women in Transition needs any further volunteers moving forward, please let them know I am in!”
—Patricia Hildt, Mentor, Travelers