Dozens of the Mid-South’s largest employers set out to make an impression on the next generation of workforce talent during Junior Achievement’s JA Inspire Career Exploration Fair at the Agricenter International. 

The event, held Tuesday, May 14, to Thursday, May 16, drew more than 3,000 middle school students from Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, who explored future careers in industries ranging from agriculture to health science to renewable energy. 

“We don’t want anything here to be boring; everything is interactive,” said Leigh Mansberg, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South. “We worked really hard with our partners to get them to build out experiences.” 

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The local branch of the national nonprofit has been educating students about entrepreneurship, work-readiness and financial literacy for nearly 70 years. And this week it brought industry leaders and Generation Alpha students together for a hands-on look into careers that are fast-growing, in high demand and close to home. 

Some don’t require four-year degrees, and others offer programs that cover tuition costs or vocational training. 

“What we do for all of our children is create context or space to be able to place all of these companies,” Mansberg said. “So, the first thing they learn is that thousands of things are produced in this region, and these are the businesses that represent the things we produce and how we get them there.” 

Blue Oval SK was on hand to show off the Ford F150 Lightning all-electric truck. The company, which is building a plant an hour northeast of Memphis in BlueOval City, will need a skilled workforce in the years ahead to build the electric vehicle batteries that power Ford’s EVs. 

A few tables away, logistics company Dunavant challenged students to a strategic planning exercise that involved mapping out truck routes on a model city to safely transport goods to a destination. 

“We have to plan out a route because it can end up costing us money if we don’t plan it right,” said Ashley Plunk, a human resources specialist at Dunavant Logistics Group. “And we want them to see that it’s not easy for these trucks to maneuver in the city. We’re trying to get them to see their most logical path and we ask them to start thinking about their route before they start moving.” 

Plunk said several several students asked for the rundown on becoming drivers, and one 14-year-old said he’s already begun studying for his commercial drivers license. 

“Not all kids are on the college path,” she said. “Most of our drivers make over $100,000 a year on the owner-operator model, where they’re their own boss. There’s a lot to be said for that.” 

Nucor Steel, which will take electrical and mechanic trainees right out of high school, set up a trailer at the fair featuring a virtual crane operator. 

“They have to train on this for about 20 hours before we’ll even let him them out in the field,” said Greg Ward, a plant maintenance lead based in Blytheville, Arkansas. “And then they have to train with their mentor. Depending on which department it is on the crane, it could be up to 180 hours before they can even touch the controls.” 

But the payoff is worth it, Ward said, with interns guaranteed interviews for a full-time role when their training is complete. 

“They walk out of their internship and they get hired on with an associate’s degree, probably making about $100,000,” he said. 

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There were other companies on hand, like FedEx, whose names might be more familiar to students. Still, they might not be familiar with the numerous roles available within the company. 

“Most of the kids in this area are very familiar with FedEx because of our size and scale and what we do in the community,” said Jason Campbell, vice president of operations at FedEx Custom Critical and a Junior Achievement Memphis board member. 

“They get to see how the planes work, and there’s engineering over there,” he said. “We’ve got mechanics to talk with them about opportunities. The lady in the white shirt is a pilot with FedEx, who can talk through all the details. So, the kids are talking to people from all of those avenues.”

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was also on hand with a variety of team members and hands-on learning opportunities. 

While the pathology department invited kids to extract DNA from a strawberry, nurse educators engaged students with a CPR challenge and a simulated patient care setting accessed through a VR headset. 

“They can listen to the heart sounds on a on a patient in there, they can hang IV fluid, put them on oxygen,” said Mandi Dodson, St. Jude nursing professional development specialist. “We can really cater the scenario to whatever our goals are for training.” 

Among the other 43 exhibitors at the fair: HR and payroll service company Adams Keegan, which focused on soft skills training; Tennessee Valley Authority, which brought along Spot the Robot Dog; and RWE Clean Energy, a renewable energy provider that has a solar project planned for Shelby County. 

“As the renewable energy industry grows, partnering with organizations like Junior Achievement is vital as it introduces a younger generation to the rapidly advancing world of solar and wind energy,” said Scott Spence, VP of the southern region at RWE Clean Energy.

“Not only does it show them behind the scenes of the technology but also opens their eyes to a myriad of job opportunities the industry offers from development to technicians on the ground to project management and more,” he said. 

Generation Alpha is expected to be the largest and most diverse generation in history, and Masberg said engaging them early is key to creating successful pipelines into high-growth careers in the region. 

“We can all work together to infuse this region with talent that is excited for the future of the economy,” she said.