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NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
September 9, 2009
TRAVEL INDUSTRY SPONSORS NEW
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT
WORK-READINESS PROGRAM
High school students to explore career
opportunities in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
Colorado Springs, Colo. — Junior Achievement and the Destination &
Travel Foundation, Tauck-Romano Innovative Philanthropy and Shop America
Alliance have jointly announced the launch of a new initiative to encourage
future job-seekers and entrepreneurs to explore the opportunities available in
the travel, tourism and hospitality industry and to examine the impact these
professions have on the local and national economies.
- The innovative initiative includes a $350,000 investment in the
development of the Exploring Futures: Curriculum & Careers in Travel,
Tourism & Hospitality program for high school students. The objectives are
to provide: An interactive Hospitality & Tourism Career Cluster at the online
JA Student Center: This tool will function as a one-stop resource for
students, educators and parents.
- A classroom curriculum module focused on educating young people about
careers in, as well as the economic impact of, the travel, tourism and
hospitality field.
- JA Job Shadow Day events for students to gain firsthand knowledge about
industry careers through on-site mentoring experiences.
- Turn-key volunteer opportunities for travel, tourism and hospitality
professionals to participate in the program.
- A "That's My City" Competition to enhance student learning: Students will
explain why their city or town is a great place to work, visit and/or play by
analyzing the local economy, its attractions and the impact that travel,
tourism and hospitality has on it.
"The travel, tourism and hospitality industry has a strong commitment to work
readiness, entrepreneurship and economic education," said Paul Serff,
Destination & Travel Foundation Trustee and member of the Foundation's Executive
Committee and President and Chief Executive Officer, Texas Travel Industry
Association. The Destination & travel Foundation has taken the lead in gathering
industry support for development of the JA program. "Through our partnership
with Junior Achievement, we can help educate tomorrow's professionals, who have
a real stake in a healthy economy. With this initiative, we hope to expose more
than 100,000 students each year to the business of travel, and give them the
information and tools to consider travel, tourism and hospitality as a career
choice."
"This initiative not only encourages the development of business and
work-readiness skills, but also teaches students about the strong connection
between the travel industry and the local economy," said Sean C. Rush, president
and chief executive officer of JA Worldwide. "We are grateful to the travel
industry for its dedication to education and to supporting Junior Achievement's
mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy."
About JA Worldwide® (Junior Achievement)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to inspiring
and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated
volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school
programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness,
entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Today, 135 individual area operations
reach more than four million students in the United States, with an additional
five million students served by operations in 123 other countries worldwide. For
more information, visit www.ja.org.
About the Destination & Travel Foundation
The Destination & Travel Foundation is a combined effort between the U.S. Travel
Association and Destination Marketing Association International. In February of
2009, the respective foundations for each association were combined to create a
stronger organization better capable of serving the interests of destination
marketing professionals and highlighting the impact of travel around the world.
The mission of the Destination & Travel Foundation is to enhance the destination
marketing and travel professions through research, education, visioning and
development of resources and partnerships for those efforts. For more
information, visit
http://www.ustravel.org/about/Foundation.html.
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